Antonov-12 resumes air cargo flights

The Government has cleared the way for Ukrainian-made Antonov-12 to begin resume air cargo flights out of the Emirates after it lifted a temporary suspension made in January. But officials at the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) maintained they were prepared to take further action against operators using the aircraft if they found unsafe practices, following a spate of accidents that have taken place in recent months.

"We have sent a release letter to the industry and to civil aviation departments in the Emirates releasing this aircraft to operate in the UAE with conditions," said Saif Mohammed al Suwaidi, the director general of the GCAA. The conditions include operators presenting a letter of certification from the manufacturer, the Antonov Design Bureau in Ukraine, attesting to the each aircraft's airworthiness.

The Antonov-12 is a popular aircraft used for air cargo flights from the UAE to Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan due to its low cost of operation and ability to land in adverse conditions such as gravel or dirt runways. There are roughly 13 air cargo operators based in the Northern Emirates airports of Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah. On January 8, the GCAA ordered all Antonov-12 planes to depart the country after local operators were involved in four accidents in the UAE and Iraq between October and January.

igale@thenational.ae