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CASA media release - Saturday 28 June 2008
CASA suspends Far North Queensland airline

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority suspended the operations of Cairns-based airline Lip Air Pty Ltd on Friday 27 June 2008.

Lip Air – which trades as Aero Tropics – was suspended because CASA believes there were serious and imminent risks to the safety of passengers travelling on the airline.

The airline's operations were ‘grounded' immediately.   CASA will now make an application to the Federal Court to extend the suspension of their air operators certificate for up to 40 days.

If the extension is granted CASA will complete investigations into safety deficiencies within Lip Air and may seek to cancel the airline's air operators certificate.

CASA began investigations into safety problems at Lip Air in September 2007.   The airline and key personnel have been subject to a number of actions by CASA, taken to achieve improvements in safety performance.

However, in recent days CASA has discovered further evidence that safety standards within Lip Air have not in improved and in fact have deteriorated.

CASA has serious concerns about the capacity and commitment of Lip Air's management to manage their safety obligations.   CASA believes the deficiencies are indicative of a total failure of the airline's management structure.

This has created an unacceptable risk to aviation safety.

CASA's safety concerns with Lip Air centre on the airline's pilot training and checking systems.   Pilot training and checking is a critical safety system within any airline – large or small.

 

Media contact:
Peter Gibson
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR7108