Systematic Aviation Services suspended for 3 months, says CAAM

 

Systematic Aviation Services Sdn Bhd became the first company to operate seaplane services in Malaysia last year. (Systematic Aviation Services Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Systematic Aviation Services Sdn Bhd (SAS) was slapped with a three-month suspension of its certificate of operation (AOC), the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has confirmed.

A CAAM spokesman said the aviation regulator issued the order after the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) did not renew SAS’s air service permit (ASP), which lapsed on Feb 29.

“Mavcom did not renew the permit because SAS could not meet certain requirements by the regulator.

“Because of the interdependency of the ASP and AOC issued by CAAM, we had to suspend the certificate for 90 days from March 12,” he told FMT to a query on the status of the air service provider.

This means that the suspension is set to be lifted next Wednesday.

FMT has reached out to Mavcom for comment.

Yesterday, FMT reported that the authorities had suspended the company’s ASP, barring it from operating any form of passenger service for payment.

Under aviation regulations, an ASP is required to transport passengers, mail or cargo by air for “hire or reward” between two or more places, one of which falls within Malaysia’s borders.

A source said the company could still operate though it was barred from operating air services that involved “hire or reward” passenger services.

When asked about the company’s Facebook post on Tuesday on the operation of its seaplane, the CAAM spokesman said it had been a privately operated flight by SAS and Ikhasas Group, which owns the aircraft.

“CAAM strictly requires SAS not to provide hire and reward activities. The (flight) operation was only to fly the (aircraft) owner’s guests to Pulau Perhentian,” he said.

The aviation company was formed in 1992 and operates from the SAS hangar at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport in Subang, providing helicopter and fixed-wing services.

Its nature of business is listed as aviation specialist advisory and consultancy services in air transportation, including the leasing or sub-leasing of aircraft equipment, spares and related machinery.

Its services include city tours, air gliding and seaplane operations. It was the first company to operate seaplane services in Malaysia, which began last year. - FMT