The Civil Aviation Authority is preparing to suspend the Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) of two helicopter companies due to their insufficient compliance with safety management system standards.
The Authority has decided to impose flight restrictions on both companies and suspend their AOCs because their safety management system compliance rates are significantly below the required threshold. Currently, the Authority is auditing the safety management system compliance rates of all airlines, according to Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul. He mentioned that airlines with compliance rates below the prescribed level will face flight restrictions.
On Tuesday, the Authority decided to impose a flight ban on airlines with safety management system compliance rates below 60 percent. In accordance with this decision, the two helicopter companies, which showed less than 60 percent compliance in the audit, have been asked to provide an explanation immediately.
“The Authority has issued a notice to both helicopter companies to submit a plan within 72 hours on how they will address the identified deficiencies,” Bhul stated. “If no action plan is submitted within this time frame, their AOCs will be suspended.”
According to the consensus of the ‘High-Level Safety Coordination Committee,’ the Authority has decided to maintain a minimum safety management system compliance rate of 60 percent in Nepal as per ICAO safety strategies.
The Authority will also take strict measures against airlines with compliance rates between 60 and 75 percent. For these airlines, the Authority has decided not to grant permission for flight expansion, restrict approvals for more than 50 percent of their authorized flights, and deny new aircraft purchases.
