The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has not lifted the Significant Safety Concern tag from Botswana aviation, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB).
The ICAO task team was in Botswana to conduct an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) in April 2013.
The validation mission has noted two potential Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs). One from the Flight Operations (OPS) area whiles the other is from the Airworthiness (AIR) area. Passing the ICAO audit is seen as a step closer for the local airline to be allowed to fly to Europe.
Nevertheless, the validation mission qualified Botswana as having made significant improvements in almost all the safety-related areas. Botswana was rated at 59.6 percent of Effective Implementation as compared to 27.8 percent in 2006.
The validation mission was a follow-up mission to check on the progress made since the audit in 2006.
“This improvement should, therefore, rate Botswana as a safer country compared to 2006,” said Modipe Nkwe, the Public Affairs manager at CAAB.
Meanwhile, the SSC’s noted that the ICAO mission had been subjected to further verification at the ICAO headquarters in Canada.
“We are still awaiting a response from the headquarters on the two SSC’s,” said Nkwe.
This mission was a full-scale ICVM covering all the eight Audit Areas of Legislation (LEG), Organisation (ORG), Personnel Licensing (PEL), Flight Operations (OPS), Airworthiness (AIR), Accident and Incident Investigation (AIG), Air Navigation Services (ANS) and Aerodromes and Ground Aids (AGA).
