Kampala Aeroclub (Entebbe) has refuted reports in the Ugandan press (and by ch-aviation) claiming the country's Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) had revoked its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC). According to a statement issued to ch-aviation, the airline is still fully operational domestically.
Shedding light on the situation that has engulfed Uganda's aviation scene since June of this year, the carrier said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), during its latest Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), advised the UCAA that its oversight of local operators was inadequate. It noted in particular that the regulator's records of the Five Phase AOC certification process were incomplete and that airline manuals and other documents held at the UCAA's offices did not correspond to those held by the airlines themselves.
"[The] UCAA demanded that all operators go back through the 2008 Five Phase Process that was originally completed and approved by the UCAA management at that time since the new management decided this was the best way to comply with the ICAO audit findings," the airline said. "Whilst operators disagree with this heavy handed, and extremely time consuming and costly exercise, particularly for all the operators who rely on work to and from neighbouring countries, it means that Ugandan operators who wish to go through the process, are still very operational."
Until such time that recertification is undertaken and complete, local carriers have been restricted to domestic operations.
The Kampala Aeroclub was awarded its AOC under the Five Phase Process in 2008 and, since then, has been systematic in amending and updating its flight manuals in addition to having them approved.
