Night flight operations resume at north airport
The night flights at the Wonderboom National Airport were grounded following an ad-hoc inspection which discovered compliance-related issues.
Night flight operations at the Wonderboom national airport have resumed after they were suspended due to findings in a SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) compliance audit earlier this month.
All the identified technical faults with the airfield lighting system were successfully fixed to the ultimate satisfaction of the SACAA, allowing night flight operations to resume, according to Tshwane roads and transport MMC Dikeledi Selowa.
In the compliance audit on 9 March, the aviation authority reportedly found an issue related to non-compliance on the airport’s airfield lighting system and it subsequently led to the halting of all night activity.
“The SACAA indicated an issue of non-compliance on the airfield lighting system which led to a temporary suspension off all night flight operations at the airport until such time that the airfield lighting system was adequately addressed,” she said.
“Immediate instruction was given to have this matter resolved and Wonderboom airport management swiftly addressed the issues of the airfield lighting system.
“Within a week, the necessary repairs were effected so that we could restore the airport to full operations,” she said, adding that their commitment to resolve the compliance-related issue was evident in the swift action and the immediate lifting of the notice to airmen (Notam) over the suspension of night flight operations.
“The results of the commitment above are corroborated by the immediate lifting of the imposed Notam by the SACAA that saw the grounding of all night flight operations at the airport,” Selowa said.
She said that the airport was a “key asset” of the city which was a critical driver of economic growth for the municipality.
“We are committed, as the metro, to ensuring the airport operates optimally and that its full potential is unleashed,” she said.
On Monday, airport manager Nnditsheni Madavha sent out a letter notifying tenants, users and operators of the airport that the SACAA had lifted the Notam which grounded all night flights as they were reportedly satisfied with the repair and service work which had been undertaken.
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“The SACAA has this afternoon verified that the airport management’s response to the ad-hoc safety auditing of 9 March 2021, that led to the temporary suspension of all night flight operations at the airport until such time that the non-compliances observed on the airfield lighting system are adequately addressed has been ultimately satisfied.
“As such, the Notam restricting night operations at Wonderboom national airport has been lifted with immediate effect,” he said.
Madavaha expressed gratitude to tenants and operators at the airport for remaining supportive and being part of the resolution process without losing patience and confidence that the compliance-related issues would be resolved speedily.
In the first Notam issued earlier this month, he said the compliance-related issues were discovered during an ad-hoc inspection of the various airport ground lighting.
“The SACAA has concluded that the runway, threshold and end lights are not in an acceptable working condition and has thus issued a Notam suspending all night operations until such time that the necessary servicing and repair is done,” a part of the Notam read.
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