April 22 - According to local news channels, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has ordered Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct shakedown inspection of aircraft operated by private airlines in the country.

Cockpit crew of privately-owned airlines will also come under this inspection process.

Pakistan CAA comes under Ministry of Defence.

Abbas

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They should also look at the PIA aircrafts whilst they are at it. How many times have PIA been in trouble in the EU?

According to CAA spokesman statement quoted by local news channels, CAA inspection team has begun inspection work with Bhoja Air aircraft. Airlines' aircraft will be inspected one-by-one.

Bhoja Air had to cancel its flight from Karachi to Islamabad, most probably flight B4-211, due this inspection. It seems the aircraft scheduled to operate this flight today is undergoing inspection.

Does it mean Bhoja Air does not have standby/backup aircraft at the moment?

After Bhoja Air, aircraft of Shaheen Air and AirBlue will also undergo such inspection by CAA teams.

Aircraft of PIA already have undergone such inspection work one to two months ago, CAA statement says.

Abbas

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According to reports in today's newspapers, a Bhoja Air Boeing 737-200 aircraft has been cleared by CAA for operating flights. The cleared aircraft is most probably Boeing 737-236 Advanced (registration AP-BKD).

News reports do not mention inspection of any other Bhoja Air aircraft.

CAA has now begun inspecting Shaheen Air aircraft, according to the reports.

Abbas

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Putting personnel of Bhoja Airlines on the exit control list even before the data has been collected is a sad state of affairs for commercial aviation in Pakistan. All aviation regulatory bodies like the CAA Pakistan, the FAA, CAA UK, ICAO, IATA etc should take note along with sister associations like the PALPA and IFALPA of this high handedness. Are the officials playing to the crowd or is it pure drama?

What can be inferred from DGCAA Pakistan's comment to the media is that the aircraft lost 900 feet rapidly from 3000 feet while "locked" on an ILS approach at Islamabad. Islamabad's elevation is 1665 feet, so this gives us an altitude of 1200 feet approximately above ground, the position of the locator outer marker--5 miles out.

It could be purely weather related such as a downdraft or the more severe element, a microburst since thunderstorms were active in the area. This may be insufficient altitude to recover from the severe weather phenomena cited.

While we all regret the loss of lives, a political twist to this is most undesireable, while at the same time the CAA's publication of the earlier accident report of Air Blue is laudable.

PIA already has 8 aircraft grounded for maintenance. 2 x B777(AP-BGJ & AP-BID), 4 x A310(AP-BEC, AP-BEG, AP-BGN & AP-BGS), 1 x B747(AP-BFY) & 1 X B737(AP-BCA).

An aircraft of AirBlue also has been cleared by CAA inspection team, according to latest reports.

In Pakistan, AirBlue is the airline with youngest aircraft fleet.

AirBlue fleet is formed with following five Airbus A320 family aircraft with oldest aircraft built in 2008.

Airbus A319-112 (AP-BIE) built in 2008.
Airbus A319-112 (AP-BIF) built in 2008.
Airbus A319-111 (AP-EDB) built in 2008.
Airbus A319-111 (AP-EDC) built in 2008.
Airbus A320-214 (AP-EDA) built in 2009.

Abbas

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Two aircraft of AirBlue have been cleared to operate flights by Pakistan CAA.

Abbas

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CAA inspection team has cleared all five aircraft of AirBlue to operate flights.

Abbas

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Airblue has posted Aircraft Safety Certification information for its fleet at following link:

http://www.airblue.com/default.asp

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Raihan Shahzad
VATSIM - West Asia - Pakistan vACC/vARTCC (S1)


EY-B77W, A345, A320, A319, GF-L1011, B732, A332, A320, A319, KU-A343, AB6, A310, A320, PK-B707/720, B733, AB4, A310