Swiss regulators have banned Junkers Ju 52 operator Ju-Air from conducting commercial passenger flights with the fleet, although it will be permitted to offer private flights for club members.
The decision by the Swiss federal office for civil aviation follows the fatal accident involving a Ju-Air Ju 52 in August last year.
Regulators have reviewed the risks of passenger flights with vintage aircraft and concluded that commercial operations with historic aircraft no longer meet current safety requirements.
“This decision is also backed by facts from the continuing accident investigation,” says the office.
It adds that changes to European vintage aircraft legislation this year will disallow commercial services.
The office says it aims to allow historic aircraft to continue flying. Operators will still be allowed to transport passengers but they will need to be members of a dedicated club for at least 30 days, and be educated on the particular risks of flying in vintage types.
Two remaining Ju 52s in the Ju-Air fleet remain grounded over earlier technical findings revealed during the crash probe. No date for resumption of Ju-Air flights has been proposed.
The office points out that there is no manufacturer with specific responsibility for airworthiness of the Ju 52 and that the regulator is “not in a position to take on this task”.
Private operators must either have sufficient in-house knowledge or be able to outsource the work to a suitable partner.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
