Sudan Airways grounded -- by Sudan.

[angels]

The Sudanese authorities have grounded Sudan Airways. This all seems a bit of a shambles.

Apologies for no link, but this is directly off the Reuters trading screens.


RTRS-Sudan grounds national airline
KHARTOUM, June 21 (Reuters) - Sudan is grounding its national carrier Sudan Airways from Monday for at least a month for breaking civil aviation rules, mainly over administration, a Sudanese official said on Saturday.
Mohamed Hassan Al-Mujammar, head of safety and flight operations in Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said the suspension had nothing to do with a Sudan Airways crash earlier this month which killed 30 people at Khartoum airport.
"The air operator certificate is hereby suspended from Monday," he told Reuters.
He cited violations such as the general manager doing two jobs and a failure to revise operations manuals as required.
"It is high time to stop this type of non-compliance with international standards," he added.
Mujammar said the national carrier argued it had been too preoccupied by the crash to take the actions urged by the CAA.
He said the airline had one month from Monday either to appeal the suspension or to carry out the necessary improvements.
"We have issued the suspension for all the operations of Sudan Airways, domestic and international," he said.
The black box of the crashed Airbus A310 has been found in good condition and sent to France for examination.
Sudan has a poor reputation for air safety especially on domestic flights. Five years ago a Sudan Airways Boeing 737 crashed near the eastern town of Port Sudan, killing 104 passengers and the 11 crew.
Sudan Airways officials were not immediately available for comment on the suspension.
The company says because of U.S. sanctions imposed on Sudan it has been unable to get spare parts and training for its planes. Sanctions have even affected the acquisition of parts for its newer Airbus fleet.
The airline flies mainly within the Middle East and Gulf region and is one of the largest carriers for domestic flights. Many European, African and Middle Eastern airlines fly to Sudan.

[Jofm5]

Here are some links reporting on this: -

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080621/wl_nm/sudan_airlines_suspension_dc

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7467423.stm

Regards,

JofM5

[lomapaseo]

Too preoccupied to address corrective actions because your are occupied with reaction to an accident.

Something is wrong here:confused:

[FIRESYSOK]

Something wrong? In Africa? I'd never have believed it.

[SU-GCM]

More Links:

From Reuters.com :
http://africa.reuters.com/country/SD/news/usnBAN151497.html

Arabic Version :
http://www.masrawy.com/News/MidEast/Reuters/2008/June/21/524780.aspx

[hetfield]

Nothing about grounding on their hp:eek:

http://www.sudanair.com/images/plain.jpg

[mutt]

Watched one of their A300's takeoff from Riyadh a couple of hours ago.... When was this grounding supposed to start?


Mutt

[Desert Diner]

On Monday I heard.

[barit1]

Indonesian authorities ground AdamAir.

Sudanese authorities ground Sudan Airways.

Do I detect a trend? :ok:

[Coleman Myers]

... they have in fact only grounded the aircraft concerned ? :E

[latetonite]

Actually it is a nice way out for them. They have no planes themselves anymore and problems finding wet lease aircraft, so it gives them time to find one or two and in the mean time clean up their image. Hopefully also their act.

[Coleman Myers]

I think they still have a C90 - in Sudan Airways colours !!!. It sat at Wilson for months before it was sent packing !.

[daikilo]

I suggest you read the content before jumping to conclusions
http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1431606/sudan_aviation_expert_says_foreign_element_may_have_entered_ planes/index.html

daikilo

[Sudan19]

this "expert" crashed a DC3 in khartoum years ago killing his captain. saying that, what he said was true.

major changes are needed ASAP


and sudan airways should never get an AOC untill they get it together.

[homesick rae]

Hi,

I was in KRT last year as guest of Sudan Airways conducting a "mock audit" if you like.

Needless to say there were several issues safety and security wise and these were highlighted.

There is a community called SAIDO who are aviation professionals in Sudan and are up in arms about the state of aviation in the country. What they can do I have no idea but I know I have been approached to see if UK experts can help.

For me, they need to want to help themselves before anyone else can.

Nonetheless, I will never forget their hospitality and wish them good things for the future.

Cheers

HR

[SU-GCM]

Is the Ban in effect or not yet ??
Now SUD050A is getting vectored by Cairo Approach Coming from KRT And on Flightstats.com
KRT (http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airport/airportDetails.do?airportCode=KRT) Khartoum SD 102 (http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?&id=130741057&airlineCode=SD&flightNumber=102) Sudan Airways 5:40 PM

T-1 Scheduled
310
Someone comment please are they even unable to enforce the ban :\:uhoh:

[Bus Allergy]

With only 2% of worldwide traffic
And 33% of the planets fatal accidents
Africa sure is special

[BUSHJEPPY]

Meanwhile, the general manager resigned from his second jobs and a new FOM is issued :}


24 JUN 2008 Sudan Airways' grounding lifted again by CAA
Sudan Airways flights resumed a few hours after the airline's fleet was grounded for violating civil aviation requirements, a civil aviation official said.
After an appeal from Sudan Airways, the CAA allowed the airline to resume its flights after it committed to fixing the violations. New audits are planned in two weeks to see if the airline has corrected the issues. (AP)

[ATC Watcher]

this "expert" crashed a DC3 in khartoum years ago killing his captain. .

Do not be too harsh in "pushing down " someone by the fact that he had a crash . I talk by experience : you learn a lot after a crash, certainly much more than if you think you are superman (*) . An you become perhaps wiser , which is exactly what I read in this interview. Despite the bad translation what this guy says is worth listening to. Especially the last 2 paragraphs.


(*) which we all think we are, right ? ;)

[Sudan19]

i don't think u saw what i wrote at the end. i did say that what he is saying is true.

BUT (and thats a big BUT) i don't think he is an expert.

crashing an aeroplane is a serious issue. if i make a mistake and crash an aeroplane that belongs to my airline. i know i don't have a job any more.
but this guy later became a training captain with sudan airways just like there is nothing on his record. and thats not good.

[Long D]

How Long before the International community rise up and take drastic action against companies and countries that do not maintain the Internatinal safety standards? How many more body bags will it require before we stop this saga? It has to be countered strongly and unanimously.

It amazes me to hear of aviation experts declaring that Sudan's safety record is of the highest in the region? Do these people not see or hear what is happening at their own backyard? How many aeroplanes crashed recently and how much more if they continue as is?

It is easy to blame the embargo and sanctions that are imposed, will this give them the right to operate without the proper safety measures taken and jeopardize so much life?

If you can not operate according to international safety standards then don't, nobody is forcing you to break the law. I challenge the Sudanese pilots to stop being blinded by proclaimed "patriotism" and be proffessionals because this is one area that can not be pursued based on patriotism. Whenever you violate its principles, you will have your hands full of what you saw happening globaly all over the world's media.:ugh::ugh:

Move professionally by building a safety standard regardless of the conditions that you live in. Ascribing the accident to God's will, is absolute absurdity.

God's will is not to land tailwind, God's will is to check breaking action during approach, God's will is to GOAROUND or Divert when conditions do not meet safety standards, God's will is to remain where you are and if need be and you exceeded the limitations wait till relief crew is sent to bring the aircraft back.

The time of Machoing is over in regards to this proffession. You either live by its rules or you will be swallowed alive.

Hallo G.M., you once lived by these principles, what happened? Will the seat change your principles????

Whenever you play with fire, it will burn you.


LONG D

[ATC Watcher]

Sudan 19, point taken. surely you know the guy better, I don't.

Long D : You are right of course, but up to a point: the world is not made of 100% Anglo Saxon people and cultural difference are there for all of us to see .There are a lot of Countries where ,as you said, " God will" is paramount , in another part of the planet is is " face saving" , etc.
You cannot change a culture with mere paperwork.

Then there are economics. If everyone had , let's say , BA standards and matching salaries, , then half to 2/3 of current African pax would not be able and afford to fly.

This might be hard to admit but this is the world today.

Someone of authority in Sudan had the guts to shut down operations until something change. We should be applauding this, and let's hope the guy will not end up fired or moved to another job in the next days, as this was until now the norm in that continent.

[surely not]

Sudan Airways flight operating into Abu Dhabi tonight, KHT-DOH-AUH-KHT.

No LDM or message received so hopefully the loadsheet will give the breakdown of transit pax and bags :}

[JTrain]

Being a Training Captain with Sudan Airways is the same as being a TRE/TRI with BA, EK, CX, LH, in name only.

[JTrain]

RTRS-Sudan grounds national airline
KHARTOUM, June 21 (Reuters) - Sudan is grounding its national carrier Sudan Airways from Monday for at least a month for breaking civil aviation rules, mainly over administration, a Sudanese official said on Saturday.
Mohamed Hassan Al-Mujammar, head of safety and flight operations in Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said the suspension had nothing to do with a Sudan Airways crash earlier this month which killed 30 people at Khartoum airport.
"The air operator certificate is hereby suspended from Monday," he told Reuters.
He cited violations such as the general manager doing two jobs and a failure to revise operations manuals as required.
"It is high time to stop this type of non-compliance with international standards," he added.
Mujammar said the national carrier argued it had been too preoccupied by the crash to take the actions urged by the CAA.
He said the airline had one month from Monday either to appeal the suspension or to carry out the necessary improvements.
"We have issued the suspension for all the operations of Sudan Airways, domestic and international," he said.
The black box of the crashed Airbus A310 has been found in good condition and sent to France for examination.
Sudan has a poor reputation for air safety especially on domestic flights. Five years ago a Sudan Airways Boeing 737 crashed near the eastern town of Port Sudan, killing 104 passengers and the 11 crew.

---
Out of curiosity, how does any airline put 11 crewmembers on a B737? You need 2 pilots, 3 FAs. Maybe a mechanic thrown in as well, and possibly a fourth FA, but that equals nowhere near 11.

I hear Air Zimbabwe all the time, with 8 crewmembers on their 737-200s.

Is there something I'm missing?