Etosha Air

[Tom_Kitty]

I have heard that Etosha Air's maintenance shop has been closed by DCA.... apparently a rag was left in the engine after some maintenance.

Does anybody have any details on this? Or maintenance in general in Nambia?

[madherb]

In the engine, or in the engine cowling? Cowling I would imagine - hard to find a rag inside an engine, but it would make a difference to the performance!

[Tom_Kitty]

I thought the cowling as well .... apparently it was stuck in the oil filter!!! Don't know how certain this is, hence the post ... grapevine has it, the rag was definitely inside the engine.

[Tom_Kitty]

Ok, here is the latest on this issue.

Apparently there was not a rag left in the engine, the oil filter simply disintegrated in flight and obviously sent it's content through the engine. What certain "specialists" found to be rags, was actually the filter material.

Being the person that I am, I would like to add my few points of wisdom(?) to this.

Isn't it curious that once again WA did the inspection of the engine? Obviously their findings are ALWAYS 100% accurate and correct! Isn't it also curios that their action has the direct result of Etosha Air being shut down? One more competitor eliminated! Seeing that they lost the Comav 1900 maintenance, (due to their own actions) they had to look for more work elsewhere. Somebody has to pay the directors .....
According to "somebody", an independent analysis was made on an oil sample and it shows CLEARLY that the matter in the oil, is oil filter material, and certainly not some rag.

So it seems Etosha Air received the short end of the stick, (with the help of our favorite Big Mac at the DCA) and the owner has no interest (financial means) to pursue the matter in court.