Tauranga airline grounded a second time

Tauranga regional airline Sunair has been grounded for a second time. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

Tauranga regional airline Sunair has been grounded for the second time in less than a year.

The Civil Aviation Authority suspended the Air Operator Certificate of Sunair Aviation Ltd on Friday September 8.

The CAA also supsended the Certificate of Airworthiness for the Sunair fleet of aircraft.

'This action will ground the Sunair fleet and suspend all Sunair flight operations for a period of 10 days initially,” says a CAA spokesperson.

'An investigation into the company by the CAA is continuing.”

In a statement to SunLive, Sunair CEO Daniel Power confirms they are currently under investigation by the CAA.

'We hope to have these matters dealt with quickly, allowing a speedy return to the safe operation Sunair has provided for the past 30 years.”

The company's website is temporarily unavailable.

In a story broken by SunLive last year, it was revealed Sunair was previously grounded by the CAA on December 6, 2016, over concerns relating to the airline's management structure.

During a routine audit, the CAA became concerned the company's senior team was too small for the size of the business.

However, this matter was successfully resolved and Sunair returned to the skies on December 16, 2016.

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8 comments

Huh?!

Posted on 13-09-2017 15:43 | By morepork

"...the CAA became concerned the company's senior team was too small for the size of the business."Kind of makes a pleasant change from the bloated hierachy of "Management" hangers-on in many businesses, doesn't it?I would have thought the CAA's concern should be ONLY with the safety of the aircraft and the capability of the pilots. The administration of the Company has nothing to do with whether the planes are safe or not. And who decides what the "proper" Management structure for a Company should be? If they have really efficient Management why are they being penalized? This smacks to me of an "attack" on them by a competitor...


Nothing should surprise us !

Posted on 13-09-2017 16:58 | By tutae.kuri

Looks like the usual bureaucratic interference we all get these days. It is hard to conduct business without being beset by gestapo types running around with clip boards.Problem here is Govt agencies can't operate without overmanned procedures and are therefore tunnel visioned in every area.


agree with by morepork

Posted on 13-09-2017 17:03 | By old trucker

you are exactly right, someone is playing games, this has nothing to do with SAFTEY, it is SMART practice to have a small staff with great SKILLS such as pilots etc, more staff is EXTRA cost, and a burden on management, and then costs go up to cover that, it STINKS of competitor problem, it must take a hit on their income too, hope all ends well for them, they do not deserve this,anyway this is my thoughts only on this, Sunlive WON BEST NEWS ,how AWESOME IS THIS,BLOW THEM AWAY SUNLIVE, you are the BEST, Thankyou 10-4 out, phew.


Very important....

Posted on 14-09-2017 01:21 | By GreertonBoy

it seems, that if a small business starts doing TOO WELL.... blindside them with some rubbish accusations to make sure they don't succeed! I agree Morepork, if the concerns are for aircraft safety, sure... but 'incorrect business model'?? come on... If people want to zero in on poor management, I can think of alot more councils.... er, I mean, businesses that need a shake up? If it is not about aircraft safety concerns... back off I say


Always more to the story than meets the eye

Posted on 14-09-2017 08:13 | By Papamoaner

Might be best before putting the boot in, to wait for final outcomes. It's only a media report at this stage.


????????

Posted on 14-09-2017 17:42 | By waiknot

Something fishy going on here. 30 years blemish free operation. First the management structure was to lean, now other concerns ? Smells like a fishing expedition. Have Sunair upset the wrong govt clipboard holder?


@Waiknot

Posted on 14-09-2017 20:06 | By Papamoaner

That's a bit unfair mate. Subjective even! It's early days yet. If you'll excuse a bit of an analogy, I wonder what the outcome might have been if the old MOT Mines Inspectorate had been up at Pike River with their clipboards and methane meters "acting fishy" as regulatory inspectorates are apt to do according to some. I'm not suggesting where there's smoke there's fire. Just saying let them do their job before jumping in.


@ Pappta Pike Out?

Posted on 18-09-2017 18:42 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Perhaps you should look a little further, perhaps if the Greeny stupids had not complained about open cast mining then the gas issue would not have been contained in a closed in space like it was. Perhaps if coal was not burnt for power then no need of a mine. Perhaps if the locals fighting with the good blokes in a red coats had done the job properly then no need of any BOP claims. Lets build 10 Nuke plants instead. Where does the stupids start and finish?


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