Hewa Bora and UK Foreign Office...

[CargoOne]

First I would like to clarify that in no way I'm looking to bash Hewa Bora, I've never flown them, have no idea regading their operation and maintenance.

Just yesterday I've been looking on UK Foreign Office web site in order to see what it tells about Democratic Republic of Congo (going there for a few days soon), and apart from everything else I've noticed the following:


Air safety

Prospective air travellers should be aware of doubts about the airworthiness of some Congolese and other regionally registered aircraft. British government employees have been advised that there are safety concerns about all DRC domestic airlines and that Hewa Bora may carry fewer risks than other local DRC airlines. But this airline - like all Congolese airlines - does not fully meet ICAO and other international safety standards.


Keeping in mind recent "scandals" regaring airlines banned from different European countries airspace, lack of data interchange between Authorities on this matter etc... How it possible that one official authority (UK Foreign Office) knows Hewa Bora is not ICAO compliant (presumably it based on UK CAA opinion?) but other authority (Belgian CAA) allows them to operate passenger scheduled services out of Brussels?

I'm a little but confused :confused:

[Ronbmy]

How it possible that one official authority (UK Foreign Office) knows Hewa Bora is not ICAO compliant (presumably it based on UK CAA opinion?) but other authority (Belgian CAA) allows them to operate passenger scheduled services out of Brussels?

Think of the historic political ties between Belgium and The DRC.

This only started around 1890 but in 1894 the country was renamed the Belgian Congo.

Just another way of keeping the finger in the pie.

Most other countries do the same and ignore criticism from other sources regarding safety lapses, abuses etc.

[RASTAMIKE]

For sure it is safer to fly an Hewa Bora 727 rather than a Vickers Viscount or AN-8, you will feel safer, but try to take-off from Goma or Mbuji-Mai with 2000 meters runway at elevation and hot temperature in a fully laden HBA 727 with JT8D-9 engines, you will realise that the earth is indeed round and that's why these machines fly. Sometimes, it is not round enough, UTA made this experience in Cotonou lately.

The ICAO non compliance is in fact related that the Congolese CAA has been found non-compliant by the FAA, thus it disqualisfies all Congolese operator.

[Speedbreak]

...just to clarify:

HBA's B727s have JT8D- 15A, and not JT8D-9.

So....

And for Mbuji Mayi, no problem at all!

Even B707 land there( MJM) with no problem at all!


:ok:

[RASTAMIKE]

point taken

9Q-CRG has the dash 9 but has been scrapped. 9Q-CKZ has dash 7A, CRS has dash 7B, CWA has dash 9A etc..

May be the ex Delta latest aquisition are with dash 15A?

MJM is 6562' long @ 2221' altitude. Marginal at 35° and full pax.

[Speedbreak]

9RG, 9KZ, 9WA, are not flying any more my friend!

We are buying others Delta Airplane's ,in the near future, to replace the other B727s.

Mbuji-Mayi isn't scarry at all! We land there every day!

You're free to come to HBA operation's office to discuss the issue, and check with HBA, our T/O weights for those fields.

www.hba.cd

You're welcome my friend! ... and it's good, also, for all others!

[BRISTOLRE]

Dont forget the L1011s of Hewa Bora Airlines..

[747-444]

So am I right in saying that "known un-airworthy" planes, in this case from the DRC, are banned from some european airports but welcomed in others - because of a lingering "historical" loyalty?

How do the countries that these planes overfly feel about this?

[despegue]

I heard nothing really worrysome about HBA's maintenance and operations. Belgian CAA is generally highly regarded, and they do care for safety with regular inspections, much more than in some other EU countries.

A lot of the management is Belgian by the way, including the Chief Pilot,who has an immense amount of experience.

It is good to see that HBA is keeping it's head up in the very difficult circumstances surounding Central Africa.
We should applaud their efforts.

[BUSHJEPPY]

Hey Speedbreak,

From the Afrikaans Forum:

Quote
Off the topic but apparently a Hewabora 72 burst all its tyres in Bukavu yesterday as well. Probably off loading soldiers for the up coming conflict in the region...wey hey cant wait to get back to work....!!
Unquote

Can we still come and look at your perf's charts???

[Spitoon]

Whilst I have no knowledge of the airline or area in question, I would just point out that not ICAO compliant does not necessarily mean not airworthy.

[eal401]

This is not uncommon for the Foreign Office website. They used to say the exact same about Air Kazakhstan, who used to regularly operate into Frankfurt & Hannover!

Of course AK has been replaced by Air Astana now, and they are much better. <cough>

[policepilot]

If Belgium allows HBA in, what happens if HBA have to divert. Who'll take them? Who do they put down as their alternate?
This is not a HBA bash, but if other European nations won't take them in then it's alongway to the next airport, Belgium not being the largest of countries.

Bukavu has a lovely pothole just right of centre and only a few hundred metres from the TDZ when landing Rwy 18 (the S'ly facing one, can't remember exact hdg.)Not something you want to hit with heavy braking.
At least the troops don't have to worry about falling out like the IL76 enroute Kinshasa to Lubumbashi.