Aviation crisis: Are we heading for disaster?

The “Swiss cheese” model of accident causes suggests that different human and natural factors are like slices of cheese lined up, with random holes.

Each slice, or layer of defence, mitigates things going wrong… until all the holes, or negatives, line up.

When that happens, especially in aviation, aircraft crash and people can die.

At the moment, many pilots and administrators in the South African aviation sector are gravely worried that it might only be a matter of time before the holes in our Swiss cheese line up and we have a major air crash.

The crisis in our airspace is real, the words of assurance from the Air Traffic and Navigating Systems (ATNS) organisation notwithstanding.

Our air traffic control towers are understaffed and those who are in the jobs are inexperienced. Controllers are overworked and fatigue is a proven killer in aviation.

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In addition, there are fewer supervisors than there should be to check the work of juniors.

Air traffic control procedures and equipment have not been updated or maintained and, in the past few months, some airports have been closed because planes cannot land there in bad weather.

Airlines are forced to spend millions extra on fuel as their aircraft are forced to divert or to go into holding patterns because the ATNS service is not up to world standards – their claims to the contrary notwithstanding.

ATNS is said to be “top heavy” with bureaucrats rather than the people in the trenches – the controllers – who ensure aircraft can traverse our skies in safety.

In addition, lack of maintenance coupled with theft of equipment – especially copper cable – has rendered some systems ineffective – like radio communication, the vital lifeline of the skies.

This cannot be allowed to continue. If necessary, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy – under whom ATNS falls – must step in. Before it’s too late.

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