Warnings about Namibia's air safety
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Warnings about Namibia's air safety
By: BRIGITTE WEIDLICH
SHORTAGES of air traffic controllers at Namibian airports, lack of radar equipment and long working hours seriously threaten airspace safety over Namibia, an organisation for local air traffic controllers once again warned yesterday. “We should have a staff of 60 air traffic controllers working at our country’s airports, but we only have 22, which means that at some airports, including Hosea Kutako International, often only one person is on duty,” Harold Hange, President of the Namibia Air Traffic Controller’s Association (Namatca) told the media.
“This leads to long shifts of 12 to 14 hours, although international guidelines stipulate that shifts should only be 8 hours. “Due to this extreme staff shortage, the Katima Mulilo airport will be closed shortly to get more staff to do duty in Windhoek,” Hange added. There is also no air traffic controller at the Lüderitz airfield and the one at Keetmanshoop was closed several years ago.
George Matroos, Secretary of Namatca, said seven air traffic controllers resigned last year, finding far better salaries in South Africa, and that annual resignations have been a regular pattern over the past few years. “Salaries in South Africa range between 300 000 and 400 000 rand per annum and in Namibia they stand at around N$100 000, that is a huge difference,” Matroos stated.
The Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA), under which air traffic controllers fall, is part of the Ministry of Works and Transport. Despite efforts last year to increase controllers’ salaries, this did not match the high inflation rate, which stood at 12 per cent last year. “We again urge Government to invest in radar equipment for air traffic control. Currently there seem to be negotiations to procure radar monitoring equipment, but we require air traffic control equipment and it should be on par with what is installed in South Africa for instance. Why can’t we have that?” Matroos said.
For the past eight years Namatca has continued to urge Government to invest in a radar system to improve Namibian air safety standards. Radar will not only improve air safety but would also help to maintain a high level of security, putting Namibia on par with other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries such as Botswana, Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
According to the Namatca leaders, Namibia has to “urgently attend to the lack of equipment and staff shortages”, because there will be a lot of air traffic over Namibian airspace next year, when the Fifa Soccer World Cup will take place in South Africa. “The reputation of Namibia is at stake. It is alarming that many findings and recommendations made by the Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) are still unattended to by all stakeholders involved and are not implemented,” Hange said.
“Our Government is by international law responsible for the Namibian airspace.”
Harry Eggerschwiler, Chief Operations Officer of the Africa Civil Aviation Authority (Afro-CAA), which is based in Windhoek and was established a year ago, said he is worried that a major aviation accident could happen under these conditions. “Although the Namibian air traffic controllers do what they can under these difficult circumstances, long shifts and being overworked are the usual factors leading to human error and that causes air accidents,” he said. Eggerschwiler attended the press conference and said Afro-CAA had repeatedly pointed out to the Ministry that something should be done.
“Aviation authorities of the European Union (EU) are contemplating to ban Namibia’s airspace for their aeroplanes,” he added.
A Namatca delegation will meet Works and Transport Minister Helmut Angula this week to discuss the problems.
SHORTAGES of air traffic controllers at Namibian airports, lack of radar equipment and long working hours seriously threaten airspace safety over Namibia, an organisation for local air traffic controllers once again warned yesterday. “We should have a staff of 60 air traffic controllers working at our country’s airports, but we only have 22, which means that at some airports, including Hosea Kutako International, often only one person is on duty,” Harold Hange, President of the Namibia Air Traffic Controller’s Association (Namatca) told the media.
“This leads to long shifts of 12 to 14 hours, although international guidelines stipulate that shifts should only be 8 hours. “Due to this extreme staff shortage, the Katima Mulilo airport will be closed shortly to get more staff to do duty in Windhoek,” Hange added. There is also no air traffic controller at the Lüderitz airfield and the one at Keetmanshoop was closed several years ago.
George Matroos, Secretary of Namatca, said seven air traffic controllers resigned last year, finding far better salaries in South Africa, and that annual resignations have been a regular pattern over the past few years. “Salaries in South Africa range between 300 000 and 400 000 rand per annum and in Namibia they stand at around N$100 000, that is a huge difference,” Matroos stated.
The Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA), under which air traffic controllers fall, is part of the Ministry of Works and Transport. Despite efforts last year to increase controllers’ salaries, this did not match the high inflation rate, which stood at 12 per cent last year. “We again urge Government to invest in radar equipment for air traffic control. Currently there seem to be negotiations to procure radar monitoring equipment, but we require air traffic control equipment and it should be on par with what is installed in South Africa for instance. Why can’t we have that?” Matroos said.
For the past eight years Namatca has continued to urge Government to invest in a radar system to improve Namibian air safety standards. Radar will not only improve air safety but would also help to maintain a high level of security, putting Namibia on par with other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries such as Botswana, Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
According to the Namatca leaders, Namibia has to “urgently attend to the lack of equipment and staff shortages”, because there will be a lot of air traffic over Namibian airspace next year, when the Fifa Soccer World Cup will take place in South Africa. “The reputation of Namibia is at stake. It is alarming that many findings and recommendations made by the Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) are still unattended to by all stakeholders involved and are not implemented,” Hange said.
“Our Government is by international law responsible for the Namibian airspace.”
Harry Eggerschwiler, Chief Operations Officer of the Africa Civil Aviation Authority (Afro-CAA), which is based in Windhoek and was established a year ago, said he is worried that a major aviation accident could happen under these conditions. “Although the Namibian air traffic controllers do what they can under these difficult circumstances, long shifts and being overworked are the usual factors leading to human error and that causes air accidents,” he said. Eggerschwiler attended the press conference and said Afro-CAA had repeatedly pointed out to the Ministry that something should be done.
“Aviation authorities of the European Union (EU) are contemplating to ban Namibia’s airspace for their aeroplanes,” he added.
A Namatca delegation will meet Works and Transport Minister Helmut Angula this week to discuss the problems.
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Well if the crashes continue like this they wont need any controllers anyway 
Overflying traffic can do just fine like in the rest of the african countries not equipped with a radar or any controllers!
No but seriously, it is a big problem. I guess money is something Namibia cant spare, especially nowadays.
We all fly VFR anyways.
Overflying traffic can do just fine like in the rest of the african countries not equipped with a radar or any controllers!
No but seriously, it is a big problem. I guess money is something Namibia cant spare, especially nowadays.
We all fly VFR anyways.
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According to the Allgemeine Zeitung the other day, a contract for a new radar system has been signed with Thales, which will be deployed at WDH, ERS, WVB and OMD.
How long it will take to be deployed is another question...
S.
How long it will take to be deployed is another question...
S.
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They need you
Voel, have you considered going home? I guess it's a matter of duty versus money. And I don't mean that in a critical or sardonic way--we all do have to make a decent living. But I know you are missed.
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They need you
You can say that again! Sometimes in life we really have to go all out in order make a meaningful contribution. One thing I've learned about African leaders is fact that most them have no clue what it takes get a C152 in the skies! Perhaps we need to find other ways to make people understand this whole thing better.
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Voel, have you considered going home? I guess it's a matter of duty versus money
1. THE Ministry of Works and Transport has signed a N$175 million agreement for the installation of surveillance radar with the French company Thales. Primary and secondary radar systems will be installed at the Hosea Kutako International Airport outside Windhoek. The WAM or Wide Area Multi Laterilisation System will be installed at 36 sites across the country. The same system is being used in South Africa, Angola, Sudan, Zambia, Nigeria, Australia, Thailand and Brazil, to name but a few.
2. “We again urge Government to invest in radar equipment for air traffic control. Currently there seem to be negotiations to procure radar monitoring equipment, but we require air traffic control equipment and it should be on par with what is installed in South Africa for instance. Why can’t we have that?” Matroos said.
Es fehle auch an Ausrüstung. „Das vom Ministerium bestellte Radarsystem ist ein nettes Computerspiel. Es verbessert unsere Lage nicht, da wir mit dem Radarsystem den Luftraum beobachten, aber nicht kontrollieren können“, sagte Hange.
The above are is the statement by the ATC Union. The last paragraph in German and not picked up by the English media is that the Union reckons the radar system ordered is a nice computer game
, but cannot provide the necessary surveillance
. The radar system is identical to that one used in South Africa and now being purchased by Angola. One has to note that Mr. Hange was part of the Tender evlauation team, and if he was not happy with that system provided, why did ha agree to it 
. We call it hypocrasy.
Last edited by Voel; 27th Jan 2009 at 15:31.
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Blocked air intakes
"Is it possible that an aircraft engine provides all the required power values - with blocked air intakes - when the pilot does a proper engine check before take off ?"
I am not that familiar with piston engine ops, but as far as remember, C210 ground power runs/checks do not even require70% of what that particular power plant can deliver. In a B1900 for example, satisfactory ground power runs can be achieved at 50% of the power available. Non of these guarantee 100% engine performance but ground power checks focuses more on other associated systems (such as magneto checks, auto feather, propeller over speed and so on).
It’s the engineer’s responsibility to do full power runs and make sure that the aircraft is fit to fly, especially after maintenance. This is all my personal opinion and corrections are welcome.
Phenom
I am not that familiar with piston engine ops, but as far as remember, C210 ground power runs/checks do not even require70% of what that particular power plant can deliver. In a B1900 for example, satisfactory ground power runs can be achieved at 50% of the power available. Non of these guarantee 100% engine performance but ground power checks focuses more on other associated systems (such as magneto checks, auto feather, propeller over speed and so on).
It’s the engineer’s responsibility to do full power runs and make sure that the aircraft is fit to fly, especially after maintenance. This is all my personal opinion and corrections are welcome.
Phenom
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Voel, it is quite possible that he disagreed, but that he was overruled?
. Thats not the issue. Read the statement by the union. The one member of the union says, they want radar like South Africa, now that they are getting similar one, the other member (the President) of the union says its a computer game
'we've got the game, but no one (controllers) to play with it'.
