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Air Traffic Crisis: South Africa's Safety and Economic Concerns

Published November 11, 2024
3 months ago

South Africa's aviation sector is grappling with a grave shortage of air traffic controllers and failure to review essential flight instrument procedures, raising red flags about the nation's flight safety and economic well-being. The issues, brought to light by Linden Birns, managing director of Plane Talking, and renowned aviation expert, suggest a troubling scenario for South African airspace.





The global scarcity of these skilled professionals has been compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to a sharp decrease in experienced personnel due to retrenchments, early retirement, or death. This has resulted in increased demand for a dwindling talent pool, attracting international air navigation service providers to poach South African controllers with the promise of competitive remuneration and the opportunity to work in busier airspaces.


This talent drain has been exacerbated by government budget cuts to defense spending, diminishing the role of the South African Air Force as a traditional breeding ground for the aviation industry's pilots and controllers. The Air Traffic Navigation Service (ATNS), under the Department of Transport, while reputed for its training prowess, faces output challenges.


The consequences of the controller shortage are profound. Johannesburg's airspace has introduced flow control to manage air traffic, leading to lengthier aircraft queues and longer holding patterns. Moreover, there have been instances where Johannesburg's Terminal Manoeuvring Area was reclassified as Class G airspace, devoid of air traffic control and relying solely on pilots maintaining their separation—a practice also observed in Cape Town.


The administrative lapses of ATNS are equally concerning. Hundreds of instrument flight procedures, which require a rolling five-year review, have gone unchecked for up to 12 years, causing significant disruptions to flight operations and navigation in adverse weather conditions. A recent failure to update 300 instrument procedures has resulted in severe flight delays, diversions, and cancellations, with one airline experiencing delays amounting to over 63 days cumulatively.


Aside from safety concerns, the economic impact is profound. Flight delays and diversions lead to increased operational costs for airlines, including higher fuel expenses and customer compensation. Ironically, ATNS benefits financially from these inefficiencies due to statutory user fees. The ripple effect touches various sectors relying on dependable air transport.


Despite the critical situation, there's no quick fix. ATNS is pressured to accelerate its efforts with its resources and consult external expertise. The training of new controllers is underway, but it will be several years before they are equipped to handle the roles effectively.


Engagement with transport minister Barbara Creecy, ATNS, and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is ongoing. The SACAA's guidance on procedure approvals could ease ATNS's administrative burden and align with its legal mandate to ensure safety and security in the civil aviation sector.


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