KUALA LUMPUR: International regulating bodies and state civil aviation authorities should be open to suggestions in regards to having clearer channels of communications for information sharing on aircraft operations and conditions, said an aviation expert.
This comes amid seemingly contradicting statements about the airworthiness of the ill-fated Gabriel BK160TR aircraft which crashed on Tuesday, killing two people on board.
Universiti Kuala Lumpur's Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology head of aviation search and rescue department, Associate Professor Major Dr Mohd Harridon Mohamed Suffian said both the aircraft's manufacturer, Blackshape, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), were correct in issuing such statements as they were only following protocols.
"CAAM was correct in issuing the statements as the aircraft was not registered under the jurisdiction of the aviation authority of Malaysia.
"Furthermore, the advisory from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (Blackshape) should be abided by the distributors or the operators of the particular aircraft," he said.
"It is also the operator's prerogative to ensure that safety is at its zenith and necessary precautions are taken into consideration before any flights take place," he said.
Commenting on the ill-fated aircraft's airworthiness certificate and the subsequent counter statements, Harridon said that the aircraft was initially deemed airworthy at the time the certificate was issued, but only within a specific timeframe.
"Perhaps the manufacturer deemed that the particular aircraft had gone through several actuations which had degraded its value of airworthiness and thus the issuance of the no-fly orders."
As such, Harridon said it is critical that International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) or any pertinent international bodies be readily susceptible to any processes that would alleviate the efficiency of data and information sharing.
"This would increase communication processes which would mitigate any future predicaments.
"There is always room for enhancement even though it is not compulsory for our regulator to perform actions beyond their jurisdiction," he said.
Yesterday, the Transport Ministry said the plane had valid airworthiness certification under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
However, the plane's manufacturer, Blackshape later said the aircraft was issued a "no-fly" order and had been flown in "flagrant and patent violation of a 'grounding' order."
The CAAM earlier today reiterated its stance by standing by the Transport Ministry's statement and also said it has not received any 'grounding order' from the manufacturer of the ill-fated aircraft.
