Airlines and CAASI defend new captain

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

SOLOMON Airlines Corporate Manager Bill Tyson says their earlier response together with CAASI over underestimation of their new air training Captain stands the same.

Claim within the airlines continues over the new air training Captain that his recruitment was not proper and only Bill Tyson knows about it.

They say the response given by Solomon Airlines Limited (SAL) Corporate Manager and Civil Aviation Authority of Solomon Islands (CAASI) Acting Director that the expatriate holds an Air Transport Pilots License (ATPL) which no local pilots have at this time and is experienced with approvals as a trainer and checker from other Civil Aviation Authorities is very shallow from the fact in not being Pilots themselves regarding experience and requirements a pilot needs.

Further adding, sources have it that the training Captain’s initial training was delayed too because his flying documents were never available for verification.

“If a proper recruitment was carried out, all verified documents will be provided during interview,” said sources.

“That new training Pilot they are referring to is only a line training Captain being revealed.

“Talking about the good and best of him, all best pilots are out in the greener part of the world. At the age of 50 with 8K plus hours does not speak well of an aspiring aviator.”

However Bill Tyson in response to Island Sun yesterday said that these sources were not present at the interview when the Captain provided the panel with sufficient evidence that he had Check and Training approval on the Twin Otter aircraft in which the panel was more than satisfied with his qualifications.

“He holds an Air Transport Pilots License unlike our current Twin Otter Check and Training Captains although I hasten to point out one is in the process of gaining his ATPL,” said Tyson.

In his earlier response over this issue, Tyson also added that the Captain’s knowledge of aviation far exceeds that of the average pilot and was one of the reasons he stood out during the intensive interview process they went through.

“The Captain also came highly recommended and is very well respected by his peers in aviation,” reminded Tyson.

CAASI Acting Director Brian Halisanau in his earlier response over the issue said that it is SAL who is answerable for this, as CAASI does not deal directly with the recruitment matters.

“However, after assessing previous work records and qualifications in which the authority has written to SAL informing the airlines of the requirements that he needs to satisfy as required by the civil aviation rules, CAASI is confident that the Captain is competent enough to perform duties as an instructor and examiner as he has held similar approvals from other authorities as well,” said the CAASI Acting Director.

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