South Africa: Instrument Flight Procedure restored at Polokwane International Airport (PTG)!

The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) of South Africa has announced the immediate reinstatement of the instrument approach procedure at Polokwane International Airport (PTG) in Polokwane, Limpopo. This crucial flight procedure is now fully operational, enhancing air navigation safety and efficiency at the airport.
The reinstatement follows the exemption approval granted by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) on Tuesday, 08 April 2025, covering flight procedures at several key South African airports, including Polokwane International Airport (PTG).

ATNS is also actively maintaining and updating flight procedures for the following airports:

• Richards Bay Airport (RCB) – Richards Bay
• Upington Airport (UTN) – Upington
• Bram Fischer International Airport (BFN) – Bloemfontein

These procedures are expected to be submitted to SACAA by 30 April 2025. Upon approval, an Alternative Means of Compliance (AMOC) application will be filed, allowing temporary operational use of the updated procedures during the official publication process.

ATNS reaffirms its dedication to air safety, procedural accuracy, and service excellence across South Africa's aviation network. The organization will continue to keep stakeholders and the aviation community informed as progress is made through its Flight Procedure Maintenance Programme.

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South Africa: ATNS updates navigation at key airports! [update]

update (29 April 2025): The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) of South Africa has announced significant progress in maintaining Instrument Flight Procedures. During March and April 2025, ATNS has been able to submit all nine priority approach procedures for OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban, Chief Dawid Stuurman Airport (PLZ) in Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth, and King Phalo Airport (ELS) in East London to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). Two of these procedures have already been approved, with the remaining seven currently undergoing ground validation.
ATNS recognises that there is still a lot of work to be done, especially the maintenance of the arrival and departure procedures at King Shaka International Airport (DUR) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town. Furthermore, ATNS is pleased to report that all 19 priority arrival and departure procedures for OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) have been submitted and approved by the SACAA. The publication of six of these arrival and departure procedures will become effective on 15 May 2025. The rest will become effective from June 2025 onwards.
Through our international Air Traffic Control Officer (ATCO) headhunting initiative, ATNS has recruited 18 ATCOs. 17 have accepted employment, with one still in negotiation.

The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) of South Africa, in close collaboration with the Ministerial Intervention Team (MIT) appointed by the South African Minister of Transport, has taken decisive action to ensure the safety and efficiency of the country’s airspace. Maintenance of critical Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) has been prioritised to guarantee that key network airports across South Africa remain fully equipped with essential instrument approach capabilities.

All vital flight approach procedures have been submitted to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) and received official approval. This includes updated instrument approach procedures at the following major South African airports:

• OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) – Johannesburg
• King Shaka International Airport (DUR) – Durban
• Dawie Stuurman International Airport (PLZ) – Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth
• Cape Town International Airport (CPT) – Cape Town
• Polokwane International Airport (PTG) – Polokwane
• Lanseria International Airport (HLA) – Johannesburg
• George Airport (GRJ) – George
• King Phalo Airport (ELS) – East London

These updates help maintain safe and reliable air travel across South Africa, especially during poor weather conditions, ensuring smooth connectivity for both domestic and international passengers.

As of 08 April 2025, flight procedures at the following airports in South Africa are temporarily suspended due to pending maintenance:

• Richards Bay Airport (RCB) – Richards Bay
• Upington Airport (UTN) – Upington
• Bram Fischer International Airport (BFN) – Bloemfontein

Until maintenance is completed, these airports will only be accessible under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC). This means that flights will only operate during clear weather with no instrument approach access available in low-visibility or adverse weather conditions.
ATNS has confirmed that restoring full operational procedures at these regional airports is a top priority, with efforts underway to resume safe and weather-independent operations as soon as possible.

In a positive development, ATNS has announced that ten new Air Traffic Controllers have accepted job offers and will begin joining the organisation in the coming months. This boost in personnel will significantly enhance ATNS’ capacity to manage and maintain safe, efficient, and uninterrupted air navigation services. Recruitment for additional critical skills remains ongoing.

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World's top 10 safest airlines named

The independent Air Transport Rating Agency (ATRA), based in Switzerland, has ranked the ten safest airlines in a recent report. For the study, ATRA examined publicly available information on 15 criteria, such as the average age of the aircraft used or the homogeneity of the fleet.

The top ten airlines 2011 (2009 data) are (by alphabetic order):

• Air France-KLM
• AMR Corporation (American Airlines, American Eagles)
• British Airways
• Continental Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Japan Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• US Airways

According to the agency, airline safety is not only about accident figures (such on the EU black list), but also about "technical, human, organisational and external" elements.
ATRA'S top 10 list is in contrast to the annual Skytrax survey that ranks airlines based on customer service. None of the airlines in the Skytrax top 10 made the ATRA's top 10 safety list.

IATA: African carriers are 2% of global traffic, but 23% of global accidents

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic, announced the aviation safety performance for 2010 showing that the year’s accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft as the lowest in aviation history.

The 2010 global accident rate (IATA is measuring the accident rate in "hull losses" per million flights. A hull loss is an accident in which the aircraft is destroyed or substantially damaged and is not subsequently repaired) was 0.61, equal to one accident for every 1.6 million flights; the 2009 rate (0.71 or one accident for 1.4 million flights) was significantly higher.
The 2010 rate was the lowest in aviation history, just below the 2006 rate of 0.65. In the ten years since 2011 the accident rate has been cut by 42%.

Africa had an accident rate of 7.41 in 2010, which was lower than the 2009 rate of 9.94. While showing improvement, Africa once again has the worst rate in the world. There were four accidents (the aircraft is destroyed or substantially damaged and is not subsequently repaired for whatever reason including a financial decision of the owner) with African carriers in 2010. African carriers are 2% of global traffic, but 23% of global accidents. The airlines involved in accidents in Africa were Compagnie Africaine d’Aviation - B727, Ethiopian Airlines - B737-800 (only accident with fatalities), Air Tanzania - B737-200, Mauritania Airways - B737-70.
The accident rate in 2010 of IOSA carriers (IOSA = IATA Operational Safety Audit) in Africa (for all aircraft types) was more than 50% better than non-IOSA airlines. Among IATA’s efforts in Africa, it established the IATA Program for Safe Operations in Africa (IPSOA). IPSOA ensured that flight data analysis tools are available to all IATA carriers in Africa, and as of the last quarter of 2010, all IATA carriers have this essential safety tool in place. IPSOA will provide IATA with the data needed to develop safety programs targeted at specific challenges in the region.

In absolute numbers, 2010 saw the following results:

• 2.4 billion people flew safely on 36.8 million flights (28.4 million jet, 8.4 million turboprop)
• 17 hull loss accidents involving western-built jet aircraft compared to 19 in 2009
• 94 accidents (all aircraft types, Eastern and Western built) compared to 90 in 2009
• 23 fatal accidents (all aircraft types) compared to 18 in 2009
• 786 fatalities compared to 685 in 2009

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South Africa: Low-fare airline kulula maintains IOSA safety standard

Kulula, the low-cost airline subsidiary of British Airways franchise Comair, remains the only independent low-fare South African airline registered with IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit). The common global safety benchmark enforces rigorous airline safety standards.
Launched in 2003, the IOSA programme is the airline industry’s first globally accepted audit programme. IOSA provides a common set of audit standards that are centrally managed, continuously updated, and consistently implemented by experts and industry professionals.
Airlines that have undergone an IOSA audit and have cleared all findings enter the IOSA registry. Airlines listed on this registry meet the IOSA standards, which are based on eight areas of airline operational safety:

• corporate organisation and management systems
• flight operations
• operational control – flight dispatch
• aircraft engineering and maintenance
• cabin operations
• ground handling
• cargo operations
• operational security

To maintain its status on the IOSA registry, kulula must undergo and complete an IOSA audit every two years. The airline completed its third IOSA accreditation in February this year. Congrats Kulula!

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News24.co.za - SA air safety much improved

The South African online newspaper news24.co.za is reporting that the South African air safety standards are now improved to such an extent that there are no major deficiencies. In the article the country' Civil Aviation Authority’s commissioner Captain Colin Jordaan is getting qouted saying that that in terms of the International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements, there were "no major areas where South Africa is deficient when it comes to meeting international standards." He also said the country now had safety inspectors for every type of aircraft. Many of these inspectors were checking aircraft across Africa guaranteeing flight standards throughout the continent.
In the article it is also mentioned that there was no single aircraft accident during the 2010 FIFA World Cup despite a dramatic increase in flights during that time.
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