The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has decided to strictly enforce less-recognized aviation regulations that require that all Lycoming and continental piston aircraft engines be overhauled every 12 years, regardless of condition or flight time. SACAA calls this movement a safety measure. Some Pratt & Whitney and Rotax engine operators may also be affected.
According to an article on news site BizNews, the ruling immediately bases more than 1,400 optical aircraft, including helicopters. Aviation advocates often argue that the cost of a complete overhaul exceeds the value of aircraft and effectively renders them outdated.
In 2023, SACAA expressed its desire to enforce the 12-year regulations, but issued an Aviation Information Circulation (AIC 18.19) offering exemptions and alternatives to compliance (through inspections) to ensure safety. However, without supporting safety-related justification, SACAA then retracted AIC 18.19 in late 2023, causing havoc among flight schools, students, aircraft owners and commercial operators. According to a news report, the exemption policy has reappeared and the issue has been dormant for the past few months, but SACAA unexpectedly regained the controversy. Industry advocates argue that economic impacts are far beyond aircraft operators, as helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are the only means of accessing many remote areas in South Africa.
Aviation advocacy groups such as the South African Commercial Aviation Association (CAASA), South African Aero Club and the Aviation Clock Action Committee will protest aircraft owners, pilots, technicians and operators. They say an insurance company's underwriter estimated that 70% of the general air fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft will be affected. Additionally, an industry with around 300,000 employees could potentially step into the economy.
Caasa CEO Kevin Storie said the new directive will destroy the ecosystem decades ago of aviation expertise and economic activity. SACAA argued that the ruling is all about being safe, but the story retorted, “This is not safety. It concerns control and the inability to understand the outcome of that control.”