PAL taps US aviation experts to help CAAP
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Airport
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PAL taps US aviation experts to help CAAP
PAL taps US aviation expert to help CAAP
May 10, 2011, 6:08pm
MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Monday it signed a contract with Tim Neel & Associates, LLC (TNA), a US-based aviation consultant, to train and provide technical assistance to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to help the country regain full compliance with international aviation safety standards.
In a statement, PAL president and COO Jaime J. Bautista said the contract with TNA involves technical assistance in Aviation Safety Oversight. It is envisioned to provide CAAP with a “roadmap” to comply with safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
PAL’s contract with TNA involves technical assistance and delivery to CAAP “at the shortest time possible” of a comprehensive regulatory system including an electronic database, inspector handbooks and technical guidance, advisory circulars, updates to the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations (PCARs) and other related matters. Total contract cost is confidential.
“TNA will provide training and software at no cost to the Philippine government since PAL will shoulder all expenses for the duration of the project. As the regulatory agency, CAAP, on the other hand, would be the one to implement needed reforms,” said Bautista.
Recognizing the importance of regaining compliance with ICAO safety standards, lifting of the European Union blacklist and Category 2 rating by the US Federal Aviation Administration, Bautista said the PAL board of directors – upon the suggestion of PAL Chairman Lucio Tan – offered to help government by tapping TNA’s services.
As the only Philippine carrier flying to the United States, Bautista said it is in PAL’s best interest for the country to immediately get out of Category 2. The US FAA’s rating downgrade prevents PAL from launching new routes, adding more flights and replacing its current fleet flying to and from the US. It also placed the Philippines in the company of Category 2 countries like Bangladesh, Congo, Gambia, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe and others.
“While PAL is the principal beneficiary of the Category 2 lifting, the same will also benefit all other Philippine carriers with plans to operate in the US and other US territories. More importantly, if CAAP is fully compliant with ICAO standards, it could also pave the way for the lifting of ICAO’s ‘significant safety concerns’ and the EU blacklist of Philippine carriers,” he said.
Bautista added that PAL treats the TNA contract not only as a form of technical assistance to the Philippine government but also as an “investment” in preparation for the delivery of PAL’s four Boeing 777-300ERs in 2012 and 2013. “In the short term, it would also allow PAL to make use of its two B777s to the US, the route they were originally intended for,” he said.
PAL’s technical assistance to CAAP is not without precedent. Bautista said that early this year, four airlines namely, PAL, Cebu Pacific, Airphilexpress and Zest Air, also provided assistance to CAAP for the development of GPS approaches or Required Navigation Approach (R-Nav) for six of the country’s airports.
Bautista said TNA, a consulting firm owned by retired Brig. Gen. Tim Neel, is a company specializing in international aviation safety matters, including the assessment of aviation safety standards at government civil aviation authorities, international air carriers and airports.
Prior to entering the private sector, Neel was the deputy commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard and was manager of the FAA’s office responsible for the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program.
Neel’s team is composed of seasoned auditors capable of conducting safety oversight audits and has conducted dozens of aviation safety oversight audits and technical assistance projects for foreign governments and foreign airlines covering most regions of the world.
PAL taps US aviation expert to help CAAP | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online
May 10, 2011, 6:08pm
MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Monday it signed a contract with Tim Neel & Associates, LLC (TNA), a US-based aviation consultant, to train and provide technical assistance to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to help the country regain full compliance with international aviation safety standards.
In a statement, PAL president and COO Jaime J. Bautista said the contract with TNA involves technical assistance in Aviation Safety Oversight. It is envisioned to provide CAAP with a “roadmap” to comply with safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
PAL’s contract with TNA involves technical assistance and delivery to CAAP “at the shortest time possible” of a comprehensive regulatory system including an electronic database, inspector handbooks and technical guidance, advisory circulars, updates to the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations (PCARs) and other related matters. Total contract cost is confidential.
“TNA will provide training and software at no cost to the Philippine government since PAL will shoulder all expenses for the duration of the project. As the regulatory agency, CAAP, on the other hand, would be the one to implement needed reforms,” said Bautista.
Recognizing the importance of regaining compliance with ICAO safety standards, lifting of the European Union blacklist and Category 2 rating by the US Federal Aviation Administration, Bautista said the PAL board of directors – upon the suggestion of PAL Chairman Lucio Tan – offered to help government by tapping TNA’s services.
As the only Philippine carrier flying to the United States, Bautista said it is in PAL’s best interest for the country to immediately get out of Category 2. The US FAA’s rating downgrade prevents PAL from launching new routes, adding more flights and replacing its current fleet flying to and from the US. It also placed the Philippines in the company of Category 2 countries like Bangladesh, Congo, Gambia, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe and others.
“While PAL is the principal beneficiary of the Category 2 lifting, the same will also benefit all other Philippine carriers with plans to operate in the US and other US territories. More importantly, if CAAP is fully compliant with ICAO standards, it could also pave the way for the lifting of ICAO’s ‘significant safety concerns’ and the EU blacklist of Philippine carriers,” he said.
Bautista added that PAL treats the TNA contract not only as a form of technical assistance to the Philippine government but also as an “investment” in preparation for the delivery of PAL’s four Boeing 777-300ERs in 2012 and 2013. “In the short term, it would also allow PAL to make use of its two B777s to the US, the route they were originally intended for,” he said.
PAL’s technical assistance to CAAP is not without precedent. Bautista said that early this year, four airlines namely, PAL, Cebu Pacific, Airphilexpress and Zest Air, also provided assistance to CAAP for the development of GPS approaches or Required Navigation Approach (R-Nav) for six of the country’s airports.
Bautista said TNA, a consulting firm owned by retired Brig. Gen. Tim Neel, is a company specializing in international aviation safety matters, including the assessment of aviation safety standards at government civil aviation authorities, international air carriers and airports.
Prior to entering the private sector, Neel was the deputy commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard and was manager of the FAA’s office responsible for the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program.
Neel’s team is composed of seasoned auditors capable of conducting safety oversight audits and has conducted dozens of aviation safety oversight audits and technical assistance projects for foreign governments and foreign airlines covering most regions of the world.
PAL taps US aviation expert to help CAAP | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: manila
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Interesting news.. except for "Required Navigation Approach = RNAV"??? 
PAL’s technical assistance to CAAP is not without precedent. Bautista said that early this year, four airlines namely, PAL, Cebu Pacific, Airphilexpress and Zest Air, also provided assistance to CAAP for the development of GPS approaches or Required Navigation Approach (R-Nav) for six of the country’s airports.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Aotearoa
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
These "donations" will really be useful but the problem in CAAP will probably remain.
Technology, navigation systems, equipment, etc. need upgrading, calibration, maintenance, etc. An area where CAAP needs major improvement because, let's face it, CAAP has a reputation when it comes to negligence, inefficiency and incompetence. I wouldn't be surprised if all these "donations" go to waste in a few years time.
Technology, navigation systems, equipment, etc. need upgrading, calibration, maintenance, etc. An area where CAAP needs major improvement because, let's face it, CAAP has a reputation when it comes to negligence, inefficiency and incompetence. I wouldn't be surprised if all these "donations" go to waste in a few years time.
Well, As much as I should not be surprised looking at the blatant corruption at all levels in the Philippines, I was surprised to see the Philippines Country and ALL it's Airlines banned from the EU Airspace in the last recent report.
I must say I have traveled without incident and as a happy customer on PAL many times, I thought though they could compete in the lands of corruption against Vietnam and Thailand as a level playing field. Clearly not. Those National Carries made their respective Authorities tow the line to Intl Standards in a kind of round about way when push comes to shove.
Well, PAL pay to get western help from America to assist and get the CAAP back as being able to manage it's chater to a ICAO standard. Money Talks, I have no problem with that, with it works from safety. I wonder though how western logic Americans plan to deal with protected incompetents?
Good luck to them, hope it is all good and much safer in the future,
In the mean time, PAL is of the list !!!!!!
Even though I want to give them 3 cheers for saying enough is enough, lets get help to move on in this place.
I must say I have traveled without incident and as a happy customer on PAL many times, I thought though they could compete in the lands of corruption against Vietnam and Thailand as a level playing field. Clearly not. Those National Carries made their respective Authorities tow the line to Intl Standards in a kind of round about way when push comes to shove.
Well, PAL pay to get western help from America to assist and get the CAAP back as being able to manage it's chater to a ICAO standard. Money Talks, I have no problem with that, with it works from safety. I wonder though how western logic Americans plan to deal with protected incompetents?
Good luck to them, hope it is all good and much safer in the future,
In the mean time, PAL is of the list !!!!!!
Even though I want to give them 3 cheers for saying enough is enough, lets get help to move on in this place.
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: norway
Age: 34
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
nuna
i wounder why cebu pacific is also on the blocklist with safety regulations? or is it because of the caap? they have new planes and its a singaporean company that does the line fixing for them. if im right.
10 years from now i think we can se pal flying over to Europe, but first of all, change all the people in caap, they are bunch of corrupted assholes. and i wounder the money they gonna pay to the us for helping them out, i think many hands will get in touch before they arrive there.
10 years from now i think we can se pal flying over to Europe, but first of all, change all the people in caap, they are bunch of corrupted assholes. and i wounder the money they gonna pay to the us for helping them out, i think many hands will get in touch before they arrive there.
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington State
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The reason Cebu Pacific is also on the list is because of CAAP.
The ICAO, and the US FAA have found that the Philippine government, ie, the CAAP, does not have adequate supervision of the airline industry in the Philippines.
There were no changes of maintenance or safety issues at individual airlines that I am aware of. Being a member of ICAO, requires an independent and competent oversight department of the government.
I am very suspicious of PAL paying to try to get the CAAP up to speed. They try to use the precedent of several Philippine airlines joining together to pay for some airport improvements. To me, that is totally different than CAAP becoming a ICAO approved governing body, independent of airline influence.
The ICAO, and the US FAA have found that the Philippine government, ie, the CAAP, does not have adequate supervision of the airline industry in the Philippines.
There were no changes of maintenance or safety issues at individual airlines that I am aware of. Being a member of ICAO, requires an independent and competent oversight department of the government.
I am very suspicious of PAL paying to try to get the CAAP up to speed. They try to use the precedent of several Philippine airlines joining together to pay for some airport improvements. To me, that is totally different than CAAP becoming a ICAO approved governing body, independent of airline influence.
