Jabiru satisfies CAA after safety investigation

The CAA, in response to some safety concerns brought to its attention by one of the Jabiru aircraft owners, conducted a safety investigation on the Jabiru type. A review committee was set up to conduct a thorough review of all accidents and incidents reported on the CAA data base, as well as analyzing the defects forwarded to the CAA. In order to conduct a comprehensive and extensive investigation, the CAA Type Acceptance, Certification, and the Design substantiation processes were reviewed.

In addition letters were sent out to all Jabiru owners requesting them to report to the CAA all the defects they may have experienced in operating the aircraft. The CAA devoted huge amount of resources to undertake this investigation which included safety audits of the Jabiru manufacturing plants in Australia and South Africa.

With this communiqué, the CAA would like to state that no unique findings could be established during the investigation that would warrant declaring the Jabiru aircraft type unsafe. Having taken into consideration all the above factors the CAA found no evidence to substantiate the allegations leveled by the complainant.

However just like any aircraft currently in operation, defects reported were noted and investigated, and on the Jabiru these defects were far from being unique, unusual or abnormal The CAA is satisfied with the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft, for as long as it is operated and maintained in accordance with the approved maintenance schedules for non-type certificated aircraft.

Obert Chakarisa

Senior Manager: Aircraft Airworthiness