By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian pilot shortage that endangers “the engine of aviation” could result if insufficient numbers fail an exam critical to successful renewal of their licences, industry representatives warned yesterday.

Mornel Brown, president of the newly-formed Bahamas Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (BAOPA), told Tribune Business that much of the aviation industry has escalating concerns over the “relevance” of the ‘air law examination’ that all pilots are being mandated to sit and pass by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Bahamas (CAAB).

Asserting that “it doesn’t make any sense”, he challenged why questions relating to taking off and landing from London’s Heathrow airport and flying through volcanic ash were included in the exam when they have zero relevance to the typical conditions encountered in The Bahamas and North America.

And, arguing that the regulators were seemingly trying to “push it down our throat” without any consultation or feedback, Mr Brown told this newspaper that Bahamian aviation could suffer “a big fall-out” that coincides with the winter tourism peak if insufficient local pilots fail to pass the exam by January 31, 2025.

That is the deadline set by the Civil Aviation Authority for all pilots to qualify for the renewal of their Bahamian licences, otherwise they will be ineligible to operate Bahamian-registered aircraft in this nation. Mr Brown warned that a significant number of exam failures could leave Bahamian carriers short of pilots, disrupting flight schedules and the inter-island connectivity relied upon by residents, tourism and commerce.

The Association’s concerns were backed by other pilots, speaking on condition of anonymity, who warned that many may fail to even take the test in time because virtually all exam slots between early December 2024 and end-January next year are ‘booked up”. One said they knew of a colleague who was unable to find an open exam slot in their desired time.

Others also confirmed Mr Brown’s contention that questions appeared to have been ‘copied and pasted’ from a European aviation study guide, and bore little resemblance to the conditions and practices that will be encountered in The Bahamas. They had also encountered difficulties in sourcing study guides and materials and, while not objecting to the exam as a concept, said the contents do not align with what was promised.

Mr Brown yesterday said the exam is “not even relevant to this region” while the questions “have got nothing to do with The Bahamas”. He added: “I’ve been going through the preparation and it doesn’t make any sense.

“Let me give you an example. Some of the questions in there speak to if you have a problem taking off or landing at Heathrow. We’re in The Bahamas. Why do we have to learn about landing or taking off at Heathrow; if I have a problem in London, do I go up 4,000 feet or do I drop fuel in the English Channel?

“There’s another question about volcanic ash. There’s no volcano nearby. The exam, because of all this irrelevant information, there’s not even enough time to go through it to understand and explain it. This information should be brought into a domestic setting and not pushed down out throat the way they are trying to do it.”

Dr Kenneth Romer, the Government’s aviation director, told Tribune Business that the Civil Aviation Authority has been directed to reach out to the pilots and private sector to address their concerns over the exam. “Local pilots are very valuable members of our aviation community. 

“We have asked the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas to respectfully dialogue with them to address any concerns regarding the air law exam. I’m assured that this is being done. The contribution of all our aviation stakeholders matters, and collaboratively we have demonstrated a shared commitment to advancing the aviation sector. We will continue to support and intervene whenever necessary.”

However, Mr Brown warned of “a big fall-out” if pilot and industry concerns around the exam and pilot licensing were not swiftly resolved. And he said the October 8, 2024, effort to reach out to Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister who has responsibility for aviation, and Alexander Ferguson, the Civil Aviation director-general, had drawn no response other than a “received” e-mail from the former the following day.

“You have people, day-to-day operators, transporting people back and forth to the islands who will not be able to operate their flights,” the Association president warned of the potential scenario post-January 2025. “It’s going to be a mass fall-out for the flying public. It’s going to be drastic.

“You will have people coming for tourism not being able to get to their destination on time. You will have people with trips that are pre-planned, and you will have business owners suffering. They depend on aircraft to get perishable produce and cargo to the islands. All of the destinations in the Exumas, the cays, all are going to be impacted.

“If the pilots don’t fly, the mechanics won’t have work, the baggage handlers won’t have work, the fuel depots and FBOs won’t have work. We need the aircraft to stay in the air so the engine of aviation, the pilots, continue to operate, continue to work,” Mr Brown continued.

“For a lot of the destinations that already have minimal to no airlift, what little airlift they have you are putting in jeopardy because you feel you are too big to talk to us. This is what it’s going to be; this is what it is.” Asked how quickly these concerns need to be resolved, Mr Brown replied: “As soon as possible.

“They have to drop the exam that makes no sense. If they are going to give us an exam, give us one based on Bahamian regulations, based on Bahamian territory. You have people making travel plans for next year. Come February 2025, you don’t want to find persons coming from the UK or France who cannot get their connecting flight to Long Island.”

Mr Brown said it was ironic that the exam only impacts pilots who hold a Bahamian licence and fly locally registered planes in this nation, as those who hold valid US licences will still be able to operate a US-registered plane within this country’s air space on February 1, 2025.

And he urged the regulatory authorities to “come clean with the public” and clarify whether the ‘air law exam’ had been mandated as a result of inspection findings by the likes of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA). 

“We’ve always been a validating state, not an issuing state,” Mr Brown said. “A pilot’s licence from time immemorial has held its validity based solely on a current aviation medical, and now I’m being forced to take an exam that is not relevant.” The Association, in a statement, said the exam appears to have been lifted from EASA, which is a European aviation organisation.

Other pilot and aviation sources both echoed and backed Mr Brown’s concerns. One, though, while acknowledging that they shared his concerns about the nature of the questions being asked, said those relating to locations such as London’s Heathrow airport were still relevant because “your pilot’s licence doesn’t limit you to flying in The Bahamas alone”.

However, they challenged why questions on issues such as visual flight rules (VFR) when flying at night were included given that night flying “was not allowed in The Bahamas”. And the source added: “My biggest concern is that they have a hard deadline of January 31 to take and pass the test.

“They had promised there was going to be testing five days per week, and if needed they would open on Saturday to do testing. They still only have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday available, and it’s booked up. It’s booked up from December 13 to January 31. If you’re going to have a such a hard deadline, they need to expand that booking. What I heard is guys are booking multiple slots just in case they fail. It’s not an easy test.”

Another aviation contact said they were forced to have the study guides shipped to The Bahamas from the UK. “It’s a Bahamas air law exam so it should be on Bahamian air law,” they said. “This test is not based on Bahamas air law, but is based on questions from the EASA test.” The source also pointed out that the terminology and phraseology are different from what Bahamian pilots are used to.

Bahamian regulators, in unveiling the exam in the summer, said: “Effective June 1, 2024, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Bahamas will be implementing a mandatory air law examination for all airmen seeking initial and renewed licences.

“This examination aims to enhance aviation safety standards by ensuring a comprehensive understanding of aviation regulations and protocols. Bookings for the exam will commence in early May 2024. Please make the necessary arrangements at your earliest convenience to avoid any delays in your licensing process.”

The Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas added: “Pilots must have a thorough understanding of aviation law to operate aircraft safely, comply with regulations and ensure legal compliance during flights.

“The examination will not necessarily improve your flying skills, but it will improve your knowledge of aviation in The Bahamas and will make you a more proficient and efficient airman in terms of requirements, obligations and rights you as an airman have when operating in The Bahamas.”

However, the Bahamas Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (BAOPA), which Mr Brown said currently has 45 members and growing, argued: “The cancellation of pilot licences will, without question, bring about a significant disruption to the Bahamian public who depend on a daily basis on the prowess of their Bahamian pilots to transport them back and forth for work, vacation, shopping and any number of other reasons.

“It would also affect the movement of numerous guests to various Family Island resorts and tourist attractions. Coupled with this, it would cause financial disruption and loss to those intrepid aviation entrepreneurs and their families.

“Some pilots began their career with a Bahamian licence and local exam, others returned with an FAA licence and, prior to receipt of a Bahamian licence, received some form of testing. What happens in this case?Pilots with in excess of 20 years’ experience would find themselves grounded, not because of a medical or mechanical issue.......”