CAA introduces expiry dates to certificates of airworthiness

Wednesday, 19 May 2004

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has introduced a new system in which Certificates of Airworthiness issued to all aircraft operating in South Africa will come with expiry dates. The new system came into effect on 1 April 2004.

Prior to the introduction of this new system, Certificates of Airworthiness issued to aircraft were previously issued without expiry dates. These certificates would continue being valid for as long as the aircraft concerned was maintained and operated in accordance with the applicable standards and regulations.

This created a number of problems. For example, since the establishment of the CAA, a large percentage of aircraft owners have not been fulfilling their obligation to pay currency fees in terms of Regulation 21.08.2(5), of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 1997. As a result, the CAA has been deprived of revenue to carry out its mandate of regulating and ensuring aviation safety. The lack of expiry dates on these certificates also complicated the collective efforts of countries belonging to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in ensuring the airworthiness status of SA registered aircraft flying in their airspace.

From now on, however, these certificates will only be valid for one year – which means aircraft owners will be obliged to renew them on an annual basis in order to continue flying.

The new system has two main benefits. First, it will ensure that all SA registered aircraft active in the country are airworthy. Second, the new certificates of airworthiness will only be issued upon payment of the currency fee in compliance with Regulation 21.08.2(5) of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 1997, including any outstanding currency fees, if any. This should, among other, enable the CAA to carry out its mandate of regulating and ensuring aviation safety and security on a larger scale. The CAA will also increase its surveillance activities in order to verify compliance with this requirement.

Seboseso Machobane, Acting CEO of the CAA and Interim Commissioner for Civil Aviation, said the response from the industry to this requirement has been very positive. “This is the kind of co-operation we are pleased to see in the aviation industry,” he said. “Although the CAA was established to regulate the aviation industry, we do not want to adopt a “you and us” approach. We prefer to work closely with the industry and encourage voluntary compliance based on common commitment to the highest levels of aviation safety and security,” he said.

-Ends-

Issued by:

Moses Seate

Senior Manager: Communications

Tel: (012) 496 0195

Cell: 082 857 9494.