South Africa’s Transport Minister calls for ATNS reform
South Africa’s Transport Minister has approved an overhaul of the country’s Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS).
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy is pushing for a reform of Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), the entity responsible for managing South Africa’s airspace.
According to Top Auto, ATNS provides air traffic management services to all nine Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) airports, as well as 12 regional airports.
It also has a presence in 24 other African countries and St Helena Island.
It is indeed responsible for a large part of the airspace in the Southern Indian and Atlantic Ocean.
AVIATION ISSUES IN SOUTH AFRICA
In recent times South Africa’s aviation sector has been plagued with issues including fuel shortages, suspended flight procedures, and flight cancellations and delays.
Travel News reports that Creecy has approved an urgent overhaul of the country’s Air Traffic and Navigation Services.
This follows a preliminary diagnostic report from a committee of aviation experts.
Daily Maverick states that this comes after Creecy found state-owned Air Traffic and Navigation Services to be riddled with problems.
These range from staff shortages to suspended instrument flight procedures and negligence in maintaining aviation systems that cause flight delays and cancellations at South Africa’s major airports.
ISSUES IN SOUTH AFRICA REQUIRE ATNS OVERHAUL
Many of South Africa’s airports have been impacted by ATNS issues over the recent past.
However, two airports, George and East London, have been particularly hard hit over the last few months.
Many scheduled flights to these airports have been delayed, cancelled or redirected to other airports.
The Airlines Association of South Africa (Aasa) told Creecy that the suspension and delayed approval of 326 instrument flight procedures have seriously impacted airlines operating in SA.
Aasa has highlighted various issues that indeed stand to seriously impact the country’s aviation space.
MINISTER ORDERS ATNS OVERHAUL
The ATNS overhaul will begin immediately, with the Transport Ministry monitoring the progress.
“These recommendations will be implemented immediately by the ATNS Board and management, with the advice of the Intervention Committee. My office will monitor progress closely.” Creecy said.
Travel News states that these interventions will include the following:
- Expediting the recruitment of critical staff, including air traffic service staff, flight procedure designers, surveyors, technical support staff, engineers and training instructors. However, this process will take between 18 months and three years to be fully implemented.
- Undertaking an urgent upgrade of CNS systems. This includes the Air Traffic Management System, Air Traffic Flow Management System and Communication systems.
- Taking steps to ensure the maintenance of instrument flight procedures.
- Prioritising and improving the governance processes to enable a single point accountability to allow for efficient implementation.