| South African aviation authorities are bringing new | | | | committee is to furnish pilots with adequate skills and |
| innovative methods to the table in an effort to spare | | | | resources so that they are able to make the right |
| the industry another killer month. The sector got | | | | decisions in an emergency. |
| some really bad press in October, with seventeen | | | | Light, fixed-wing aircraft most vulnerable |
| accidents claiming close on thirty deaths, making it | | | | What is interesting is that every single one of these |
| the deadliest month for aviation in South Africa. | | | | accidents has taken place in light aircrafts. In fact, the |
| 'Killer October' takes its toll | | | | last South African Airways casualty was the ill-fated |
| To put these incomparably high figures into | | | | Helderberg in November 1987. Prior to that only three |
| perspective, only 8 accidents were recorded for the | | | | other accidents were recorded |
| full twelve months of last year, but 2006 was | | | | - April 1954 when a de Havilland Comet went down in |
| regarded as one of the blackest years in aviation as | | | | the Mediterranean Sea |
| there were over 50 accidents involving light aircrafts. | | | | - March 1967 in East London, when a Vickers |
| The Civil Aviation Authority has earmarked factors | | | | Viscount crashed |
| that are largely responsible for this frightening | | | | - April 1968 when a Boeing 707 went down near |
| increase in flight fatalities, with pilot errors and gaping | | | | Windhoek |
| holes in training being the primary culprits. Other | | | | Only 2 deaths attributed to helicopters |
| contributing factors are | | | | It is important to differentiate that, of the 17 |
| - Poor pilot attitude - over-confidence being a major | | | | accidents recorded in the month of October, only |
| issue | | | | five of them involved helicopters and only two of |
| - Pilots neglecting to take the weather into account | | | | these accidents resulted in death. Not one of these |
| - Unnecessarily low flying | | | | accidents occurred in the Western Cape. |
| - Pilots having inadequate or no pre-flight training | | | | - A game ranger fell to his death from a Jet Ranger |
| - Aircraft overloading | | | | - A pilot died when he flew his Raven 44 into power |
| - The flagrant disregard of standard or safe | | | | lines |
| operational procedures | | | | - A Robinson R22 was damaged when the tail rotor |
| CAA seeks solutions | | | | hit an anthill during training |
| Fortunately, all of these problem areas can be | | | | - An Alloette II went down when the trainee pilot |
| adequately addressed and the CAA is doing just that. | | | | lost control on landing |
| A Central Aviation Strategic Initiative Committee has | | | | - A Robinson R44 was damaged in training when |
| been set up with industry heavyweights to address | | | | there was a loss of tail motor thrust |
| and seek solutions for the high accident rate. | | | | Statistics have revealed it is far safer to enjoy |
| Their most recent offering is a DVD that clearly | | | | helicopter flips in and around Cape Town than it is to |
| outlines the common mistakes made by crew that | | | | fly in fixed-wing aircrafts, so make for the whirly bird |
| have resulted in accidents. The main aim of the | | | | instead. |