Airport watch project, a first for Mpumalanga
“On many occasions airfield, airport managements and aircraft owners/operators have been subjected to, we believe, unnecessary insinuation of misconduct, especially after the 9/11 incident in the USA”, says Mr. Torr.
Through a combined engagement between Business against Crime, Mpumalanga, the locally renowned J&M security, and the airports, Aerodrome Association of South Africa, which is an affiliate to the Commercial Aviation Association of South Africa, the Airport Watch project was born.
Airport Watch is similar to neighborhood watch programs, which is aimed at protecting and assisting the authorities and home owners in the protection of their assets. It serves as the watchdog within our aviation fraternity that operates within the confines of the Mpumalanga Province.
“On many occasions airfield, airport managements and aircraft owners/operators have been subjected to, we believe, unnecessary insinuation of misconduct, especially after the 9/11 incident in the USA”, says Mr. Torr.
Rowan Torr, past President of AAASA, Yvette du Toit, GM Business against Crime in Mpumalanga and Mr. Danie Coetser, CEO of J&M Security, supported this initiative and introduced it to both the SAPS and the Civil Aviation Authority who have embraced it positively.
The Province has a large number of airfields and aerodromes operating successfully in combating the Forest Fire and other economically viable aspirations.
J&M has conveniently extended its call center operations, which combats crime for the benefit of our aviation partners. It now provides a positive platform where unusual or suspicious activities may be reported by persons working on an airfield, and persons who are associated with the flying of an aircraft.
The Airport Watch is not new, a similar program was introduced in the USA by the Federal Aviation Authority and has proven to be extremely successful.
Booklets can be obtained on request from the CAASA offices in Johannesburg, or phone them at 011 659 2345.
