Butuan Airport, ordered closed after an airplane accident, may reopen Sunday

 News
Feb 152014
 
Operations at the Butuan Airport may resume by 4 p.m. Sunday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said Saturday after a Cebu Pacific airplane went off the runway earlier that day.

According to the CAAP, the Butuan Area Manager has issued a runway closure order which will be in effect until Sunday afternoon. CAAP said the closure order “may be revised or cancelled earlier if status thereat changes.”

Cebu Pacific flight 5J 220 from Butuan to Cebu was grounded “after the aircraft nose wheel went off the runway 30 of Butuan Airport as it was turning  in preparation for takeoff.”

The accident prompted Cebu Pacific to cancel the Butuan-Cebu flight as well as “two turn around flights of Cebu Pacific from Manila to Butuan and back on flights 5J 785/786 and 5J791/792 and Cebu Butuan Cebu 5J 223/5J22.”

The plane, an Airbus A319, has been grounded and the CAAP has sent a team of aircraft accident investigators to determine what caused the accident. — JDS, GMA News

Recto wants use of travel tax, other fees to improve NAIA

 News
Jan 072014
 
Recto wants use of travel tax, other fees to improve NAIA

Ninoy Aquino International Airport INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto  is proposing the use of travel tax and other fees collected from  passengers to improve the  security and condition of the Ninoy  Aquino International  Airport. Recto specifically  pointed to the fees  being collected by three government agencies – the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA)—which he said derive much of their combined  annual P16.billion income from NAIA. Even a fraction of the fees paid by passengers and planes to these three agencies for use of NAIA, he said, will be enough to install “clean toilets, CCTVs and comfortable couches” in its four terminals. “If a mall charges a mere P10 for the use of a hotel-like toilet, I can’t see why a Filipino travelling abroad who pays P550 in terminal fee and P1,620 in travel tax should be entitled to less,” Recto said in a statement on  Tuesday. In 2012, MIAA posted a gross operating income of P8.28 billion and a net income after tax of P2.64 billion. Of its gross, he said, P3.3 billion came from “toll and terminal fees” paid by departing passengers, who cough up P550 if bound for abroad, and P200 if headed for domestic destinations. Recto said 2012 was also a banner year for another TIEZA, which raked in P3.5 billion in “travel tax” levied on 2,271,468 departing passengers. Its collection, he said, would have been higher if not for the exemption granted by law to overseas Filipino workers, 443,868 of whom were reported to have exited in 2012. Recto said Read More …

Phl flight passengers can now use laptops, mobile phones while on board

 Economy
Dec 312013
 
Phl flight passengers can now use laptops, mobile phones while on board

MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is now allowing airline passengers to use their laptops, mobile phones and devices during flights. The agency has released memorandum circular 52-13 which lets the conditional use of transmitting portable electronic devices (TPEDs), music players, and global system for mobile communication on-board aircraft (GSMOBA) on all commercial aircraft operating within the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines. According to the memorandum, airline passengers may use their laptops and cellular phones, internet or short-message-service (SMS) or voice communications and other broadband services during flights provided that they meet the conditions set by the CAAP. The memorandum states that when the aircraft doors are still open, the devices can be used unless the pilot-in-command or the senior cabin announce a prohibition. But when the aircraft is refuelling, the use of laptops, mobile phones and broadband communications will not be allowed. “In this instance, all transmitting portable electronice devices must be turned-off,” the memorandum said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 When the aircraft doors are closed, the devices should be placed on silent mode and could only be used for SMS, internet, or games. Voice communications are not allowed when the aircraft doors are closed except the use of GSMOBA if it does not interfere with the orderly conduct of flight. The use of MP3s should always be with earphones and not with additional or separate speaker and or amplifiers, the memorandum also said. The memorandum shall take effect Read More …

CAAP defers new aircraft turnaround policy

 Economy
Jul 312013
 
CAAP defers new aircraft turnaround policy

MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has decided to defer the implementation of a minimum 40-minute scheduled ground time for the domestic flights of budget airline Cebu Air Inc. (Cebu Pacific) so as not to affect at least 7,000 passengers. Capt. John Andrews, deputy director general CAAP, said in a press conference that the regulator decided to call off the implementation of an order requiring Cebu Pacific to adopt a 40-minute ground time for domestic flights instead of the original plan of 45 minutes from the current 30 minutes. “This is not feasible at this time. We are therefore cancelling the order for them to comply with the 45-minute scheduled ground time,” he stressed. Instead, Andrews said the mandatory scheduled ground time would be imposed on all airlines, particularly low cost carriers, as early as the start of the “winter” season or on Oct. 1. He told reporters at a press conference that the implementation of the order on the scheduled ground time for Cebu Pacific would affect a total of 75 flights involving about 7,000 passengers. “It will result to delays in 75 flights and this will have a boomerang effect and most likely the last flights will be cancelled,” he added. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Andrews said there is no definite schedule yet for the implementation of the 40-minute scheduled ground time but the regulator is looking at the “winter” season or October as the airlines have yet Read More …

2 SoKor airline pilots fined for violating air traffic regulations – CAAP

 News
Jul 242013
 
2 SoKor airline pilots fined for violating air traffic regulations – CAAP

6:41 pm | Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has penalized two pilots of a South Korean airline for violating air traffic regulations. Fined US$1,000 each were two pilots of an Air Busan Co. Ltd aircraft for violations of Philippine Civil Aviation Regulation (PCAR) Parts 10.1.1.6 on operation requirements and Part 8.8.2.2 on air traffic control clearances. The CAAP, in a statement issued Tuesday, did not identify the pilots but according to the agency’s flight operations department, the offense on October 6, 2013, was “busting altitude” or the unauthorized deviation from an assigned height. Like other air traffic regulators worldwide, the CAAP assigns altitude limits for aircraft to prevent midair collisions. The decision finding the pilots liable for violating the PCAR was recommended by safety inspectors Rizal Ventura and Alfredo Juliano who investigated the incident. The CAAP said the flight operations department  has been placed under investigation for “various violations” of the PCAR. Air Busan is a subsidiary of Asiana Airlines. Air Busan operates flights from Cebu City to Busan, South Korea’s second largest city. RELATED STORIES CAAP passes ICAO audit—Abaya   Training to focus on wet runway landings, ‘go-arounds’   CAAP to seek lifting of ban on PH carriers   Plane’s locator failed during Masbate crash Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to Read More …

PH expects to be lifted from US air blacklist

 News
Jul 182013
 
PH expects to be lifted from US air blacklist

Agence France-Presse 7:52 pm | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines expects to be removed from a US air safety blacklist this year, opening a lucrative market for its carriers, an aviation regulator said Thursday. John Andrews, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), said he was very confident the upgrade would occur following a similar decision by the European Union last week. “We’re going to make it. (It’s) as simple as that,” Andrews told AFP in an interview. The US Federal Aviation Administration said in 2008 that the Philippines was failing to comply with international safety standards, and banned its airlines from expanding services to the United States. The European Union banned all Philippine carriers from flying to Europe in 2010 for similar reasons. Reforms put in place since then, including a law creating a new aviation regulator, the CAAP, allowed the Philippines to satisfy the concerns of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in February. This led to the EU’s decision last week to allow Philippine Airlines to begin flying into its airspace. The EU said it was reviewing the case of other Filipino carriers. Andrews said he expected US aviation regulators to make similar findings when it carried out an audit before the end of the year. He said Filipino regulators had addressed safety concerns by physically tracking down every aircraft registered in the Philippines and getting their owners to submit documentation. This was to make sure the Read More …

Court orders arrest of ex-CAAP exec over graft

 News
Jul 102013
 
Court orders arrest of ex-CAAP exec over graft

A former Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) official is facing arrest in connection with the graft cases filed against him. This was after the Sandiganbayan First Division ordered the issuance of an arrest warrant against Daniel A. Dimagiba, former deputy director for operations of CAAP, after finding probable cause to proceed with his trial on two counts of graft. “After personally perusing the Information and evaluating the resolution of the prosecutor, the evidence in support thereof and the records of the preliminary investigation attached thereto, it appears that sufficient ground exist for the finding of probable cause. Wherefore, let a warrant of arrest be issued against accused Daniel A. Dimagiba,” the anti-graft court said. The order was issued less than a month after the Office of the Ombudsman charged Dimagiba for allegedly pressuring two CAAP flight operations inspectors to give passing grades to two flight school students who failed the Pilot Proficiency Flight Check. Dimagiba was also implicated in an alleged unlawful issuance of an operating permit to an airline in 2008. The Sandiganbayan also issued a hold departure order has also been issued against Dimagiba, directing the Bureau of Immigration to prevent him from leaving the country unless with a court-issued clearance. Dimagiba has already asked the court to suspend the proceedings against him to give him a chance to file a motion for reconsideration before the Ombudsman. The charges, filed June 24, stemmed from the complaint filed by former CAAP director general Ruben Ciron. Graft investigators also found Read More …

DOTC sees completion of P13.25-B aviation system by 2015

 Economy
Jul 072013
 
DOTC sees completion of P13.25-B aviation system by 2015

DOTC Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) expects the completion of the P13.25 billion world-class communication, navigation and surveillance system by 2015 or before the end of the term of President Aquino. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the joint venture between Sumitomo Corp. of Japan and Thales Australia Ltd. has committed to complete the Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems Development Project Package–I by November 2015. “I don’t expect any further delay. I know the whole project is estimated to be done by November 2015,” Abaya said. The CNS/ATM Systems Development Project was first conceptualized in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Air Navigation Plan, and would replace the aging vital communications, surveillance, and air traffic control equipment at selected airports nationwide. The DOTC awarded the two work packages to Sumitomo-Thales joint venture. The first package which entails the design and construction of the ATM Center and ATM Automation System, as well as the final integration of the whole CNS/ATM system was awarded in November 2010. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The second package which involves the design and construction of a surveillance and communication system was awarded in April 2011. The CNS/ATM project aims to enhance safety, reliability and efficiency of air traffic and airspace systems in the Philippines. The existing air traffic control systems, navigation, communications and surveillance equipment in the country fall short of the required number, are aging Read More …

8 PH international airports to get security cameras—CAAP

 News
Feb 062013
 

By Jerome Aning Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:33 pm | Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said Wednesday it has allocated P100 million for the installation of closed-circuit television cameras in the immigration areas of eight alternative international airports in the country. CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss III said the installation of the surveillance camera systems was in line with the agency’s safety and security program for all Philippine airports. According to Hotchkiss, CAAP will be signing this month an agreement with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat) which would co-manage the operation of the CCTV systems that would record goings-on at the immigration counters. “The agreement is a joint effort by the Iacat and the CAAP designed to enhance airports’ capability in monitoring passengers and other airport users’ movement in the immigration areas,” Hotchkiss said in a statement. The eight airports are the Clark International Airport in Pampanga; Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City; Iloilo International Airport; Bacolod–Silay International Airport; Kalibo International Airport; Puerto Princesa International Airport; Zamboanga International Airport; and Laoag International Airport. Under the agreement, CAAP will provide funding for the surveillance equipment through competitive bidding while Iacat will co-manage the operations of the integrated surveillance systems. The Iacat, composed of five government agencies and three private-sector representatives, is tasked with crafting and implementing policies to stop trafficking in persons. There have been allegations that unscrupulous immigration and airport officials are conniving with traffickers to allow in and out of the Read More …