At issue whether helos rebuilt with parts from decommissioned aircraft can be used for cargo

Judge Galo Romero of the Civil Court system in Ecuador has issued an order suspending Civil Aviation General Directorate chief Cmdr. Rafael Davila from his duties, allegedly for not allowing two helicopters property of Transacsa to supply air cargo services to customers, even though the company holds the appropriate permits to offer such services.

Davila has stated that he will obey the court order, even though the helicopters do not comply with technical regulations "needed to fly," as they were assembled from parts obtained from UH-1 decommissioned aircraft in the United States. According to Davila, the airworthiness inspectors from DGAC found thirteen instances of violations of law, eight operational regulation violations and five administrative rule violations.

Davila also added that a report indicating the results of the inspection was turned over to the judge once the operational permits had been rescinded, but the aircraft were still used for commercial operations transporting cargo within the country.

In spite of the suspection, Davila affirmed that he will remain on the post until the President of the Ecuador, Col. Lucio Gutierrez, says otherwise. "He is the only one who can fire me," he added. Davila has since appealed the decision to the country's Constitutional Court, asking for the Judge Romero's order to be overturned. Davila will argue that allowing the helicopters to operate would present a threat to the safety of the citizens of Ecuador.

Finally, Davila warned that the process of recategorization of the airport system to raise the international airports to Category 1 has been suspended because of issues like this one. This has happened, he added, because he was "forced" to sign the operational permits for the helicopters without ensuring that all regulatory requirements had been met.

"This is an act of interference on the part of the judicial branch, and specifically by Dr. Romero, in the exclusive domain of the director of the Civil Aviation General Directorate," Davila said to Ecuador's El Universo.

The issue of operating permits for the Transacsa Hueys has been in the courts and the media in Ecuador for some time now, and accusations have flown back and forth, going so far as to imply that Davila was denying them the type permits due to his involvement with another aeronautical company, Aeromilitec. However, Davila has steadfastly denied the charges, and pointed out that he sold all his shares in Aeromilitec when he became director of the DGAC, and that in any case, Aeromilitec is not in the business of operating any aircraft.

FMI: http://www.dgac.gov.ec/