Fed: Casa begins inspections of Ansett 767 fleet = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2001
Fed: Casa begins inspections of Ansett 767 fleet = 2

Mr Gibson said extra spot checks on the rest of the airline's fleets would continue
over the long weekend, although no problems had so far been found.

"I'm sure they will continue on after the weekend," he said.

"But it's a question of manpower as well. I mean, we can't ignore other carriers and
put all our manpower into Ansett."

Mr Gibson said Ansett's delay in providing essential paperwork put CASA's examinations
24 hours behind.

"The delay in getting the paperwork, I guess, shows that they are stressed," he said.

"It's a difficult time for them, I'm sure they're working their hardest to fulfill
their obligations to us, but it's proving difficult."

He said CASA also believed there had to be fundamental changes to the management structure
and organisation of Ansett.

"Clearly Ansett is an organisation with troubles," he said.

Mr Gibson said CASA's resources were also stretched, with all operational people on
deck to handle examinations in Melbourne and spot checks in Brisbane and Sydney.

He dismissed concerns about similar aircraft owned by other airlines, after a Qantas
767 was thought to have a fault with its hydraulic system.

He said the Qantas 767 fleet was a different, younger model which had been subject
to a different maintenance regime.

AAP jb/cjh/de

KEYWORD: ANSETT CASA 2 CANBERRA

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