Tonga works toward upgrading aviation safety system [1]
Thursday, October 23, 2014 - 23:45. Updated on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 16:33.
Tonga's Civil Aviation Authority with the assistance of the Pacific Aviation Safety Office PASO is currently working toward upgrading its Civil Aviation Safety System to be in line with safety standard demanded by the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO.
A report, with recommendations for action by a working group that is made up of personnel from the Pacific Aviation Safety Office PASO, and the Tonga Civil Aviation Authority will be presented to the Prime Minister, Lord Tu'ivakano tomorrow, Friday.
Ringo Fa'oliu, Tonga's director of Civil Aviation told Matangi Tonga yesterday, 22 October that ICAO has given Tonga until the end of December to get its Civil Aviation Safety System up to ICAO standard.
Ringo was confidence that work toward achieving ICAO safety standard would be in an upbeat after tomorrow.
"If we will move on to the next stage of recertification during the coming weeks, we hope somebody could help when we stop one aircraft but allow another to fly. We have to take them off the air one by one," said Ringo.
There is a need to upgrade Tonga's Civil Aviation Safety System before the end of December.
Ringo was optimistic that if they are committed to upgrading the safety system ICAO could give Tonga an extension.
The standard of Tonga's Civil Aviation Safety System became an issue last year after the New Zealand government issue an advisory notice to New Zealand nationals who are visiting Tonga, over a Chinese made MA60 aircraft that Tonga certified for its domestic air services. New Zealand, Australia, and other countries do not certifiy the MA60 aircraft.
In July this year, the Tonga Civil Aviation informed ICAO that it was going to certify a Chinese made Y12 aircraft.
The response from ICAO was for Tonga to upgrade its aviation safety certification legal framework, and for Tonga to address its lack of aviation engineering competency.
Following on from these demands by ICAO Tonga has been desperately trying to keep its domestic air service in operation but at the same time raise the standard of its Civil Aviation Safety System.
A rumor that New Zealand has downgraded its advisory warning to New Zealand nationals who are visiting Tonga, according to Ringo was a joke.
He said that what New Zealand did was delete the MA60 from its advisory notice.