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The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines
It seems that the great expectations generated by the creation of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines(CAAP) is not going to be met in the near future. The Aviation industry is still waiting for some semblance of leadership of the office in such area as aviation safety, efficiency in airport operations, good public service and in providing long range direction to an industry that has so much potential in the economic development of this country.
To wit, how is the CAAP addressing the findings and recommendations of the FAA and ICAO regarding our airport operations? Will we regain our Category I status? The downgrade to Category II had dire effects particularly on the transpacific operations of PAL. |
hmm
how is the CAAP addressing the findings and recommendations of the FAA and ICAO regarding our airport operations?
by changing their name to CAAP.... and after that?? none... as long as most of the people there received money from airlines and other operators, they will simply do nothing about it .. But they will try to make it look like theyre doing something ofcourse. Its actually a shame to be downgraded from that category to a lower one. But lets be honest to ourselves. Is there any changes with the CAAP ? let me give you an example: there is one profitable airline in the Philippines whose aircraft are handled by a company that doesn't even have a hangar of their own.:ugh: Im amazed how their engineers and technicians do all their job outdoors.. or should I say on the Bays of the new Terminal 3?:hmm: Good thing the license I'm using right now doesn't have the RP-ATO or CAAP logo on it. Love the Country, Hate the Government... Just simply CORRUPT! |
corruption
i have to agree with you, subsonic. we continue to be blighted by this disease called graft and corruption. and it is not just the government but also the people. we, the people, are as guilty as the politicians or public servants for tolerating their existence and by even agreeing to their terms sometimes. we pay their salaries thru the taxes we pay. so maybe we should altogether stop paying our taxes. anong say mo?
in most capital cities in Asia, their international airports were moved to the outskirts of the capital long, long time ago. they are connected to the metropolis by fast trains. additionally, these airports have parallel runways which provide for efficient simultaneous handling of departures and arrivals. sadly, our planners do not see these. only us, the airline pilots, see and experience these things. from their airconditioned offices and limited view and perspective on the matter, they obviously will fail to appreciate the benefit that can be derived from correct infrastructure. under the present conditions, the congestion at manila TMA will continue to obstruct the development of our aviation industry. the industry won't be able to harness its full potential. |
I am one of the many ATCs working in Manila. I do agree on what has been said; expectations on CAAP will not be met. Infact, they will NEVER (short or long term) be met.
Ciron is on his way out. Whoever replaces him, I doubt if he/she can save the reputation of our Civil Aviation industry. They are all the same.. goodie-goodie sa simula then lumalabas din ang tunay na kulay in the end. The ATCs, as civil servants, are getting paid by the taxpayers. Whatever amount we take home, I assure you.. those are honest and hard-earned money. Some years ago, an issue has been raised on a meeting between the ATC facilities: how to decongest the air traffic in Manila? RPLC came to mind. When this was presented to the administration (then ATO), their reply was: "kikita ba tayo dyan?" (typical) |
new DG
RC used to "brag" about his spirituality as a pastor. unfortunately that is not nearly enough. however, i will take him anytime versus the DG he replaced who is the most shameless collector of under-the-table favors, which led to what subsonic has just described.
they tried to change the system, let's give them that. but the problem is they hired white men from ICAO as "consultants" and followed these guys blindly. without any technical know how, they were in no position to find out if the sanctimonious lectures of the white men were any good. they surrendered their brains to people who have good english accent and no common sense. |
Love the Philippines and the people, It's said, people get the goverment they deserve.
People, you deserve more! |
congestion at the Manila TMA
AMIHAN
I would like to correct myself when I said "the airline pilots see and experience the efficiency of other Asian airports in handling arrivals and departures." I failed to mention that the ATC controllers are also at the short end of the air traffic situation at NAIA. I can only imagine the stress you are experiencing during the peak hours. RPLC or DMIA is the only viable option we have to replace NAIA as the Philippines' international airport. The Aviation sector should clamor/work for this objective. The CAAP needs an office head that has a grasp of what the industry is all about. No more Generals, please. The industry is about business and safety in air operations. The CAAP is not concerned with air defense. |
One factor that contributes to the congestion is the runway configuration of RPLL. During peak hours, the runway would accommodate upto 60 movements an hour which is the norm basically for busy international airports. But while others have parallel runways, we have to makedo with a single runway. Its like having a single toll booth on an expressway collecting both ways. Imagine the traffic jam there.
I say, while we've been reclaiming Manila Bay to put up gigantic malls and exclusive subdivisions, why not build a parallel runway with equally good terminal on it. I just don't know if any builder still trust our government after what it did to PIATCo when they built NAIA terminal 3. |
Unsafe Skies
RP among aviation safety flunkers By Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star) Updated January 28, 2010 12:00 AM MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is in a list of countries with unsafe civil aviation systems drawn up by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ICAO has listed the Philippines among countries whose civil aviation was found with “significant safety concern” (SSC), according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines-Employees Union (CAAP-EU). Cesar Lucero, CAAP-EU vice president, said that this was not surprising in view of the CAAP’s failure to address deficiencies of the country’s airport network. “As we have said time and again, the Philippines will continue to fail to regain Category I status with the US FAA (United States Federal Aviation Authority) and get a satisfactory rating with the ICAO until the leadership of the CAAP, especially the director-general, Ruben Ciron, is replaced,” he said. In an electronic bulletin last Dec. 18, the ICAO listed the countries with SSC findings as Angola, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Congo, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Philippines, Rwanda, and Zambia. “The safety oversight audit of the Philippines under the comprehensive systems approach revealed a Significant Safety Concern which remains unresolved by the State,” the ICAO said. The SSC finding for the Philippines is a double whammy for the country’s local civil aviation industry after the US FAA downgrade of the country from a Category I to a Category II rating due to deficiencies in its civil aviation systems in December 2007. The US FAA downgrade had caused the Arroyo government to rush passage of Republic Act 9497 which created the CAAP. Lucero said Ciron, as CAAP director-general, had mainly attended to the hiring of his fellow retired military officers to vital and highly technical positions at the CAAP even without having civil aviation experience and expertise. “We blame Mr. Ciron and his hiring binge of his fellow retired military generals and colonels and his fellow comrades in the Reform the Armed Forces of the Philippines Movement at the expense of organic ATO personnel who have civil aviation experience and expertise,” he said. It will be recalled that the CAAP-EU has questioned Ciron’s appointment of retired military officers with no civil aviation management expertise in the CAAP since its creation in late 2008. The group stressed under RA 9497, the CAAP was supposed to absorb the regular employees of the Air Transportation Office to retain the experienced air traffic controllers and other crucial technical employees of the agency. Another reason for the creation of the CAAP was to enable it to retain its more than P2 billion income raised from the collection of landing and navigation fees to raise salaries of employees such as air traffic controllers, he added. Sought for comment, Ciron downplayed the ICAO issuance of the SSC on the Philippines. “We are addressing that already,” he said. Ciron said that the reason for the SSC rating by the ICAO was the finding of ICAO inspectors that CAAP lacked technical personnel. Sources from CAAP say that the ICAO has generated around 100 audit findings/items during their Safety Oversight last November 2009, wherein all of them are serious findings! Hmmm... I'm quite surprise that ICAO only found 100 findings! :bored: |
CAAP warned on issuing invalid licenses to pilots Philstar.com - Saturday, January 23 MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is issuing invalid licenses for pilots and aircraft mechanics, as well as certificates of registration and air worthiness for aircraft as a result of the appointment of unqualified officers into key technical positions. Cesar Lucero, vice president of the CAAP Employees Union, warned that the issuance of the invalid licenses and certificates by the CAAP could pose serious problems to aviation firms in times of air mishaps especially when it comes to claiming insurance. “Insurance companies could refuse to honor claims by questioning the licenses and certificates of concerned pilots and airlines,” Lucero told The Star. Lucero said that the Flight Standards and Inspectorate Service (FSIS), the main regulatory arm of CAAP, was in effect issuing invalid licenses and certificates due to ultra vires acts and illegal appointments of consultants and co-terminus employees into highly-technical positions, who have recently signed the licenses and certificates issued by the agency. He said that under RA 9497, otherwise known as the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008, which created CAAP, the power to issue airman licenses and aviation related certificates exclusively belongs to the Director Generals alone. Since 2008, the CAAP-EU has observed that the FSIS director appointed by CAAP director-general Ruben Ciron, Eduardo Batac, have been issuing and signing licenses and certificates in direct violation of RA 9497. “The signing of the pilot and aircraft mechanic licenses as well as certificates of registration and air worthiness could not be delegated by Ciron to Batac,” Lucero said. Illegal “The acts of the FSIS are what can be called ultra vires and illegal, in effect rendering their issued licenses and certificates null and void,” Lucero said. Ciron, for his part, denied the allegations of the CAAP-EU. “There is no question on the validity of the licenses and the certificates,” Ciron told The Star in an interview yesterday at the ground breaking rites of the P2.5 billion Caticlan airport upgrade project at the Caticlan airport. Ciron said that Batac, as FSIS director, merely endor-ses the licenses for him to sign for his approval. Ciron said that Batac also had the qualification for the FSIS top position. “I’m the one who signs the licenses,”Ciron said. Batac, a retired officer of the Philippine Air Force like Ciron, it was learned, was one of the head executive assistants hired by Ciron into the CAAP, with the post being a “co-terminus” appointment which means that the appointment expires upon the end of the appointing official’s tenure. Batac’s deputy, Romeo Alamillo, also a retired military general, was hired into the CAAP by Ciron as a consultant. Lucero stressed that both Batac and Alamillo have no civil aviation management experience or expertise. The CAAP-EU, Lucero said, noted that under existing laws and regulations, both Batac and Alamillo are prohibited to hold positions exercising control and supervision over regular employees. It will be recalled that the CAAP-EU is questioning the appointment by Ciron of retired military officers with no civil aviation management expertise into the CAAP since its creation in late 2008. - By Rainier Allan Ronda (Philstar News Service, Philippine News for the Filipino Global Community) |
kalampag sa konsensya
win faa
your posting are very relevant and all personnel in the civil aviation industry must be fed this information continously to keep them aware of what is and what is not happening at the CAAP. let's hope that people who can influence the situation will read our postings and will be guided accordingly. keep them coming, kabayan! |
invalid license..
that's true..
last year, a group of aircraft mechanics from etihad was terminated because of this issue.. they hold the original license but when the company verified their license.. they discovered it was invalid. because of the license no# |
back to the future?
please let us remember the original "flunking" happened before RC's time. RC was put in place to fix the years of mismanagement. you may have misgivings about RC's effectiveness and (in)competence as a leader, but it is patently ridiculous for some people within CAAP to act as if it was all RC's fault. let's keep a good perspective here, gentlemen.
having said that, however, 100 serious findings is certainly mind-boggling. what have all the ICAO "consultants" been doing all these times??? |
ICAO consultants
chairwrecker, you hit a nerve there. these ICAO people had been with us for so many years already. their fat salaries and allowances are paid for by us. somehow they should answer also to the audit of ICAO HQ.
on the other hand, is RC receptive to recommendations from these ICAO consultants? does he understand them? does he have an adequate understanding of the implications of his job? |
retrogression
flew to ozamiz and butuan recently. didn't have papi lights there. i also remember shooting the ils at mactan and manila not so long ago. now we only have vor/dme approaches. does RC even know what these things are and how they tell on the safety of our flights.
these are basic safety reqmts of airports. CAAP should be minding these things. |
Government should help PAL
Government should help PAL TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS By Babe Romualdez (The Philippine Star) Updated February 02, 2010 12:00 AM Whatever they say about taipan Lucio Tan, no one can argue that he has been relentless in his efforts to keep Asia’s oldest airline and the country’s flag carrier, PAL, a source of national pride, keeping it afloat. The Asian financial crisis in 1997 definitely did not help and almost brought PAL down to its knees. The gradual turnaround, plus the operational restructuring that resulted in its successful exit from receivership several years ago, encouraged PAL to take on a more ambitious expansion and re-fleeting program in 2006 as it inked a deal with Boeing for the delivery of six B777-300ER aircraft to be completed by 2011. PAL was hoping to increase its flights to the US and expand its services to several destinations like San Diego, Chicago, New York as well as Saipan. Unfortunately, all these plans and hopes were dashed when the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in 2007 downgraded its rating for the Philippines from Category 1 to Category 2, saying the Philippines was an unsafe port of origin as it cited the government’s failure to comply with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in providing safety oversight of its air carrier operators. This downgrade adversely affected PAL because the carrier could not tap new destinations and expand its US market since it was not allowed to increase its flights to the US and US territories. PAL could not also use the new Boeing 777-300ERs to existing US destinations. These long-range aircraft were bought specifically for long-range markets like the United States, and it’s rather ironic that while PAL is contributing to the US economy by buying these American aircraft, it cannot even fly the same to American soil. After all, it’s the government’s aviation system which failed in the reviews/assessments conducted by the FAA – not PAL – so why can’t an airline which has an impressive safety record bring in American-made aircraft to their place of origin? In any case, the government reacted to the downgrade by closing down the Air Transportation Office and rushing the creation of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines or CAAP in 2008 to address the findings of the FAA and upgrade the status of the Philippines to Category 1. If I remember correctly, GMA even gave them a 90-day deadline. But aside from the name change, nothing much has been done by the CAAP to rectify the situation. And as if the FAA downgrade was not enough, here comes another blow with the ICAO’s recent inclusion of the Philippines among several countries with “Significant Safety Concern” or SSC rating such as Angola, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Congo, Djibouti, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia. Simply put, ICAO is saying that the Philippines does not have safe civil aviation systems, perhaps because the people who are supposed to oversee air safety concerns are busy quarreling with each other. CAAP director general Ruben Ciron has been at odds with an official of the employee’s union who is blaming the former for the country’s failure to regain Category 1 status with the FAA. Cesar Lucero, the union official, has accused Ciron of being more concerned with hiring fellow retired military officials to highly technical positions who do not have the necessary expertise to efficiently run the agency. Ciron in turn tried to downplay the ICAO’s SSC issuance, even pointing out that the problems plaguing CAAP have been in existence even before his term and were mainly due to corruption and mismanagement in the former ATO administrations which Lucero was part of. In the first place, the Philippines will not be able to upgrade its rating if these people will not stop their wrangling. Perhaps they should listen to a suggestion for CAAP to consult with the pilots of PAL who have the training, the discipline as well as the expertise and experience regarding safety and other issues. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that as long as the downgrade is not addressed, tourism, transport, cargo and other sectors will continue to be affected. PAL president Jimmy Bautista has been quietly and patiently pushing for government to get the Category 2 rating lifted. Jimmy, known for being an unassuming and low-key guy, has worked so hard and done great in the successful turnaround of PAL, and it would really be disastrous to see all his efforts gone to waste just because government can’t get its act together. No one will argue that the airline industry has been going through tough times partly due to the global financial crisis, and just how gloomy things have been can be seen in the recent bankruptcy of JAL, Asia’s biggest carrier. Fortunately, the government of Japan is stepping in to bail out its flag carrier by way of a loan. Obviously, no one would like to see this country’s flag carrier go the way of JAL. Which is why government should help PAL by making sure that the agencies tasked to oversee the country’s civil aviation systems are doing their jobs properly, instead of engaging in protracted turf wars. A valid point indeed |
Aero International Airways
Has any one heard of Aero International Airways? Heard their base is in Zamboanga.Can any one provide some information regarding this airline and their fleet etc.
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CAAP "turf war"
Good day to all fellow aviators!
This is my first post, however, ive been surfing this site for quite sometime. Factually, there is no "turf war" inside CAAP but a legal conflict between the organics and the consultants which if not resolved the soonest will dive the Philippine aviation aground. It has already been brought to the open especially in the aviaiton world that "consultants" foreign or local are lording over the CAAP with their impractical and out of this world programs and policies. Under existing laws and regulations, consultants are PROHIBITED to exercise supervision and control over regular and permanent employees. However, this is blatantly violated in the case of CAAP. Consultants were illegally appointed to key and top positions by RC to the vehement opposition of the regular and organic employees. What compounds this issue is the arrogance and incompetence of these consultants. They came professing and vowing to make needed changes in CAAP. True enough, they changed the situation of CAAP from worse to WORST! Worst, foreign ICAO consultants are also calling the shots in CAAP! Not only a violation of the Civil Service laws but an affront to the SOVEREIGNTY of our beloved motherland!!! All because RC allowed it! RC and his consultants will never achieve their goal for the CAAP how noble it may be (kung ganun nga) because they stand on the wrong side of the law. Fellow aviatiors, lets not make the issue inside CAAP complicated. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT RC AND HIS CONSULTANTS DO NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. No "turf war", just a wrong interpretation and implementation of the law. That simple. |
Turf wars and failure in the implementation of the law
Whatever analyses we make on the situation at CAAP, the aviation sector need the agency to establish order and safety in our skies. The air traffic congestion at the Manila airport had resulted to numerous TCAS RAs and had been reported by the pilots involved. What is the CAAP doing about these events/incidents? Do they really know what to do about things like these? Do they still conduct flight checks to calibrate the precision/accuracy/quality of our navaids like the VORs, PAPI/VASI, ILSs, DMEs?
There is indeed a turf war waging. And the loser is . . There seems also a failure in the implementation of the law. ..or misinterpretation of the law. Now what to do . . |
I am just wondering...
Are we oblivious to the fact that government employees are what they are. Now I am not gonna make general statements...but if anyone has been to CAAP and has checked out who the regular employee Check Airmen are, y'all would agree that they are idiots. They do their jobs because they have to in order to get paid...but what are their jobs...do they know what they are doing? No they don't! They love going on work trips (even if they have no clue what they are on a trip for) and collecting dollars, or even performing checkrides "under the mango tree". That is why you need the consultants. CAAP employees want Ciron out? To be replaced by who? With one of their own? Now there is a Category 3 (if there was such a thing) waiting to happen. Why put the blame on him. Not for nothing, but I think we should stop sugar coating and giving these CAAP employees credit coz it definitely isn't due. Stick it to them where it hurts. They should replace all personnel of the Aviation Safety Division (doubt if the law will allow that)....which precisely why they are so lax with their jobs...they are protected by the law...our country definitely screwed up somewhere! Just my two cents. |
two cents worth
miki . . .
your two cents worth is more than a penny for your thoughts. i definitely agree with you. the CAAP is a microcosm of the government, where inefficiency, insensitivity, non-accountability and rudeness is the norm. people in government flaunt the law but when they find themselves in a corner, they take refuge in the same law that they mock. what can we do? us . . who still care. "the greatest failure is the one never attempted." |
Turf war
Very well said Parsifal!
RC and his consultants do not really know what to do with the highly technical operations of CAAP. This is what we get of the palakasan system. kesyo bata ni Enrile at Ermita, kesyo malakas kay Lucio Tan, kesyo malapit kay ganito...ayun nilagay na sa puwesto. Isa rin sa dapat nag iingay ay ang aviation sector. Dapat nirereklamo nila ang mga kapalpakan ng CAAP, pero ginagawa ba nila? Hindi rin...bakit? Dahil marami sa kanila ang nakikinabang sa ganitong sitwasyon. Aminin na nating lahat na ang dami daming operators airline man o gen av ang gumagawa ng mga milagro kaya ok lang sa kanila kahit mali mali na ang mga ginagawa nila Ciron and Co. Sa lahat ng mga nag iingay dito tungkol sa kapabayaan ng CAAP, matanong ko kayo...may ginawa na ba kayong solidong hakbang para punahin o ituwid ang mga ito??? Wala rin di ba? Kasi natatakot kayo sa pwedeng gawin nila sa careers nyo!!!! KAYA HANGGANG GANYAN ANG PAG UUGALI NG AVIATION SECTOR WALANG MAGANDANG MANGYAYARI SA AVIATION NATIN. Meron naman sanang CAAP employees' union na pilit ibinibunyag at nilalabas sa publiko ang mga kalokohan at kapalpakan ni Ciron pero ANG TINGIN NATIN SA KANILA AY MGA "GRIPING" PEOPLE LANG. When in fact, they have already brought to the courts their legal issues against Ciron and his consultants. AVIATION SECTOR, WHEN WILL YOU REALIZE THAT AS LONG AS THESE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THE CONSULTANTS (FOREIGN OR LOCAL) ARE RUNNING THE SHOW IN CAAP WE WILL NEVER TAKE OFF? We cant talk of solid programs in CAAP when your status therein is outright illegal. Simula pa lang mali na. Have you checked your certificates? Sino mga nakapirma? Batac? Alamillo? Las Marias? These people are not employees of CAAP!!! God forbids, have you realized the implications of an invalidly issued licenses and certificates in times of accidents an/or surprise inspection by FAA and EU? The CAAP employees' union knows what they can do. I know their members especially their core officers. By the way the CAAP employees' nion is mainly and largely led by incorruptible people from ATS kung integrity lang ng Union nila ang pag usapan. These leaders have taken a very strong stand to resist and repulse illegalities committed by RC and consultants. Let us, in the aviation sector make our stand also in light of the difficult times the civil aviation is going through. BY THE WAY PARSIFAL, IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE DATA OR STATUS OF NAVAIDS IN THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINES YOU CAN ASK FOR IT FROM CAAP EMPLOYEES' UNION. BY THE END OF THIS FEBRUARY, NO MORE AS IN ZERO OUT OF THE 197 NAVAIDS AND FACILITIES WILL BE CURRENT/CALIBRATED. RPLL RWY 06/24 IS NO LONGER INSTRUMENT PRECISION APPROACH RUNWAY FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW. TWO OF THREE ENROUTE RADARS COVERING THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINE AIRSPACE ARE NON FUNCTIONAL!!! Now ask yourself......WHAT TO DO. |
Sa lahat ng mga nag iingay dito tungkol sa kapabayaan ng CAAP, matanong ko kayo...may ginawa na ba kayong solidong hakbang para punahin o ituwid ang mga ito??? Wala rin di ba? Kasi natatakot kayo sa pwedeng gawin nila sa careers nyo!!!! KAYA HANGGANG GANYAN ANG PAG UUGALI NG AVIATION SECTOR WALANG MAGANDANG MANGYAYARI SA AVIATION NATIN. For now we can't do anything else as nobody in the government will ever hear your sentiments now because politicians are busy with the upcoming elections. |
what to do . . . in the and by the aviation sector
let us list the players of the aviation sector team:
flight mechanics air traffic controllers flight attendants flight deck crew flight dispatchers aircraft operators airline owners aviation employees others . . . etc not much of a population to make some thunder in the halls of power and influence, don't you think? but if we convince all air travellers that the safety of the skies is also their concern, then we might just be able to get the "kalampag" we need. politicians, as we know, look at numbers(as in votes) and not on issues. we know that we don"t have the numbers now but we can launch a campaign to generate that number. ultimately, we might just be able to muster that mental strength to join in the partylist election in the future. gargantuan task? well, we got to start something and somewhere and sometime. |
Filipino airlines suffering from poor aviation rating GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) Updated February 17, 2010 12:00 AM RP aviation’s poor international rating has begun to trouble Filipino airlines. This is the gist of Foreign Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin’s recent letter to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines chief Ruben Ciron. On Feb. 8 Ebdalin wrote Ciron that Korean civil aviation officials had nixed Philippine Airlines’ bid for a Cebu-Seoul route. Saudi Arabia too may delay resumption of the flag carrier’s Manila-Riyadh flights. Authorities in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia have begun inquiring about RP’s aviation record and policies. Meaning, international operations Cebu Pacific and Zest Air too could be impaired. Revenues would be lost from the traditional high-profit routes. The cause of all this is twofold. First, in Nov. 2007 the US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded RP to Category-II in security and safety. Facilities and personnel of the Air Transport Office were found wanting. Sadly it was the private sector that suffered from government’s poor grade. Filipino carriers to the US were barred from setting up new or expanding old services. The CAAP hastily was formed to stop the decline. Hardly any improvements happened, though. So hit, second, the recent posting by the International Civil Aviation Organization of “significant safety concerns.” RP was lumped with backward or failing states like Angola, Bangladesh, Congo, Djibouti, Kazakhstan, Rwanda and Zambia. The UN agency found that of 191 navigational facilities RP-wide, only 16 are reliable, eight are due for recalibration by end-Feb. 2010, and the rest are in disrepair. Again private carriers are the ones punished for the CAAP score, in terms of restrictions like the Korean action against PAL. Yet 90 percent of CAAP revenues come from navigational charges on airlines. Ebdalin in his letter asked Ciron what CAAP is doing to address the US-FAA and ICAO concerns. The answer is yet unknown, as Ciron’s performance is being reviewed by Malacañang. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza is claiming in press releases that airports RP-wide improved under President Arroyo. This was supposedly because of an 800-percent funding increase in 2001-2009. Seems to be that the aviation industry in the Phil is already f**ked up :ugh: |
Cusi in, Ciron out
Cusi in, Ciron out at CAAP By Rudy Santos (The Philippine Star) Updated March 07, 2010 12:00 AM MANILA, Philippines - Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Alfonso Cusi will soon leave his post to head the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). Cusi, who withdrew his candidacy for a congressional seat in the 2nd district of Oriental Mindoro last Thursday, confirmed the appointment in a telephone interview yesterday. He will replace CAAP director general Ruben Ciron after a transition period. Cusi said for the remainder of his term in MIAA, he will focus on getting an ISO 900 certification for Terminals 2 and 3, which will mean that the terminals have met international standards for service, safety, and security. As the new CAAP chief, Cusi will face the task of restoring the country’s civil aviation rating to Category 1 after the US Federal Aviation Authority (US-FAA) downgraded it to Category 2 in 2007 because of safety issues and the lack of technical personnel. “Of course, there is an urgent need to address the downgrade,” Cusi said. The civil aviation downgrade prevents the Philippines from taking advantage of routes to rebounding global economies, whose citizens are traveling more. To restore the country’s aviation rating to Category 1, the CAAP needs to hire more technical experts. Its employees are also demanding higher salaries. On Thursday, Ciron announced that the CAAP is now hiring check-pilots, aircraft inspectors and other technical personnel after the Civil Service Commission approved the qualification standards for the applicants. Ciron said he is preparing to brief the incoming aviation chief on the status of the restoration of the civil aviation rating. Ciron is scheduled to leave for Brussels next week to present to European aviation bodies the response of the CAAP to the October 2009 audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Cusi said he will announce who his successor will be in a few days. Airport sources said MIAA executive assistant Robert Uy and Terminal 3 manager Melvin Matibag are at the top of the list of officers likely to replace Cusi. |
what we ask for
Ciron out . . . yes, we ask for that.
Cusi in . . . . . no. we didn't ask for that, did we? the NAIA was his turf for many years. and every year, the portion of taxiway charlie from E-5 to holding point of rwy 06 is always undergoing repair. and more . . . he is also a part of the problem. he doesn't see the need to move the international operations to DMIA or elsewhere. he cannot comprehend the airspace congestion at the Mla TMA. he would love to build more terminals. as a matter of fact, he has allotted Php40B for the upgrade of NAIA in the next five years. |
hopelessly hoping
hope springs eternal. . may your optimism be rewarded, Cessna95!
for all our sakes. |
Al Cusi
Sorry but he will make a great Choice - Congrats Al - onl man to get terminal three up and running plus plus. Can you please give him a chance..................
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Another score for the Philippine government :eek:
RP aviation faces European blacklist Manila Standard Today, March 18, 2010 by Vito Barcelo The Philippines faces being blacklisted by the European Community over aviation safety issues, according to Alfonso Cusi, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. In a draft resolution circulated among the European community, the air safety committee had proposed blacklisting the Philippines because of its failure to resolve aviation safety issues, Cusi said. But the Europeans have been assured that the Philippine aviation industry meets international safety standards, said Cusi who attended a conference in Brussels convened by the European Community’. “Our delegation will prove that the Philippine aviation system meets safety standards and that the blacklisting is not necessary,” Cusi said. Cusi met with European Union Ambassador Alistair MacDonald and informed him of the steps taken to address the safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Philippines will invite the EU Air Safety Committee to conduct its own safety inspection of Philippine airports, Cusi said. Cusi’s agency will apply with the international aviation regulators for the lifting of the significant safety concern during the ICAO Aviation Safety Conference to be held on March 29-31 in Montreal. The Federal Aviation Administration assessed the now-defunct Air Transportation Office in July 2007 and raised serious concerns about ATO’s inability to conduct consistent, effective safety oversight. |
Who is this Alfonso G. Cusi? Any good? Got silent here.
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Yea; he's good, he actually cares and wants to make a change in the system. But like most governments it needs a cooperative effort from all who're within.
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!shame! shame!
up to the '90s, we have an ILS for the NAIA. then it downgraded to VOR/DME. now its just a visual approach for the premier airport of this country. imagine foreign int'l airlines arriving from other countries being asked by approach controller if they accept a visual approach upon their arrival. what is their choice? they have only a few gallons of fuel left for their alternate.
this is not an int'l airport. it is a runway in the bushes. the only difference is that the bushes here are concrete. the officials of CAAP, if ever they have any delicadeza at all, should own up to this fiasco - a result of their incompetence, inefficiency and lack of knowledge of what their office is all about. do not blame the airlines for flight cancellations. they are only concerned with the safety of their passengers. besides, IFR flight plans and clearances require instruments. |
Agreed!!! I love the country, fantastic people, beautiful women, but horrendous airport and facilities. I don't think there's a major airport in Asia that doesn't have at least one operable ILS...even little Penang island. What gives!?! Going down for maintenance is one thing, but how long does it take to replace/repair a glide path indicator? Oh well, at least I can use the ILS into Cebu..uhm ok, Clark.
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IFR flight plans and clearances require instruments lots of unacceptable practice right now in CAAP. maintenance check being done only when equipment fail. Manila ACC don't even have thermal strips. they do manual, handwritten flight progress strips. bad planning on the management part. :yuk: |
bad or absence of management
but what can we really expect from these officials of CAAP and MIAA. they know nothing about flying and what is takes to have a safe flight. i am so riled at the gall & temerity of this attorney-spokesman of the MIAA when he said in a press con that capt pena do not have the authority to say that VORs are requirements for the safe conduct of flights. capt has more than 20,000 airline flying hours which include times in the big airline jets. he is the president of ALPAP and a consultant of ICAO. he may not have the authority of a person in a government position but he certainly have the knowledge and experience on the matter. what about this joker-lawyers?
this is what happens when you put nincompoops in government positions. the only thing they can do is to wash their hands and put the blame to somebody. no sense of responsibility at all. in other countries, this kind of situation calls for the resignation of these officials. not to expect here in the phillipines. no sense of shame at all. i hope that all foreign airlines cancel their flights to manila until at least a vor/dme is installed and calibrated. for us here in the philippines lets us observe the minima for day and night VFR as stated in our CAR. lets take care of our flights. nobody at CAAP and MIAA will. |
new guy?
can somebody enlighten us about the rumor that P-Noy will be installing a new guy in CAAP to replace the current DG?
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Aquino plans on replacing Cusi with an airline executive. Let us wait and see!
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hi
any clues who the airline executive is?
is it from yellow, green and blue or red white and blue ?? Aside from that is it true that Lufthansa Technik will not be maintaining Philippine Airlines in the near future? I heard PAL is looking at its main competitors garage for maintenance services? tsk tsk tsk.. will that even work ?? |
cusi and matibag
1. they should really be replaced by somebody who has airline experience. these two jokers know nothing about what their office is all about. their continued stay in the CAAP and MIAA will ensure our continued stay in Category II. one of the findings of the FAA and ICAO audit was that many unqualified people are holding responsible positions in the above mentioned offices. the two mentioned above and some others are the persons the audit was talking about. 2. the prospective replacement has vast management experience both in the corporate air and airline industry. 3. time for change. time for hope. cross our fingers.
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