Cayman Airline Pilots Association: "The B737-8 is one of the safest planes to fly on"
Captain Gary R. Hydes, CAPA President and First Officer Norberg K Thompson Jr. (Kel), Chairman of the Safety Committee issued the following letter on the matter:
"With the impending reentry of service of Cayman Airways Boeing 737-8 aircraft fleet, the members of Cayman Airline Pilots Association (CAPA) as the professional pilot body, hereby offer our support for the ungrounding of the re-certified aircraft.
As a 100% Caymanian Professional Body, our members are part of the fabric of the Cayman Islands and as such, we represent our country as well as our national airline. CAPA was founded on the principle of promoting and maintaining safe air travel to, from and within our islands, through the collaborative efforts and engagement with our national airline Cayman Airways all while continuing to earn reputation as professional aviators who put safety our number one priority.
While the Boeing 737 aircraft painted in Cayman Airways livery may physically look the same, you can rest assured that after a lengthy recertification period, this aircraft is certainly not the same aircraft that was grounded in March 2019. The recertification process has designed-out the triggers which were previously identified and resulted in the universal grounding of the aircraft.
The consensus is that, because of the extraordinary scrutiny from the numerous Civil Aviation Authorities around the world which involved hundreds of professional engineers and pilots, we can say without hesitation that this aircraft is one of the safest aircraft to fly on right now.
It is our professional opinion that a well-trained and competent crew will only add to the layers of safety now mandated by the recertification process. With that said, Cayman Airways' commitment to Pilot training meets or exceeds every Civil Aviation Authority regulatory requirement. During the 22 months that this aircraft was grounded, our members continued to be simulator-trained on this aircraft. It is also noteworthy to mention that our members receive training every 6 months, whereas many airlines around the world train their pilots less frequently to save on their training costs—as little as once every 18 months. It is our learned opinion that the frequency and quality of training we receive enhances the ability of our members to respond appropriately to any unforeseen abnormal situations.
We the members of CAPA would like to reiterate to the traveling public that safety remains our highest priority when operating any aircraft, and we will never prioritize economics or flight schedules over safety. We look forward to having you our valued customers, as well as our own family members, back on board the 737-8. "
As a 100% Caymanian Professional Body, our members are part of the fabric of the Cayman Islands and as such, we represent our country as well as our national airline. CAPA was founded on the principle of promoting and maintaining safe air travel to, from and within our islands, through the collaborative efforts and engagement with our national airline Cayman Airways all while continuing to earn reputation as professional aviators who put safety our number one priority.
While the Boeing 737 aircraft painted in Cayman Airways livery may physically look the same, you can rest assured that after a lengthy recertification period, this aircraft is certainly not the same aircraft that was grounded in March 2019. The recertification process has designed-out the triggers which were previously identified and resulted in the universal grounding of the aircraft.
The consensus is that, because of the extraordinary scrutiny from the numerous Civil Aviation Authorities around the world which involved hundreds of professional engineers and pilots, we can say without hesitation that this aircraft is one of the safest aircraft to fly on right now.
It is our professional opinion that a well-trained and competent crew will only add to the layers of safety now mandated by the recertification process. With that said, Cayman Airways' commitment to Pilot training meets or exceeds every Civil Aviation Authority regulatory requirement. During the 22 months that this aircraft was grounded, our members continued to be simulator-trained on this aircraft. It is also noteworthy to mention that our members receive training every 6 months, whereas many airlines around the world train their pilots less frequently to save on their training costs—as little as once every 18 months. It is our learned opinion that the frequency and quality of training we receive enhances the ability of our members to respond appropriately to any unforeseen abnormal situations.
We the members of CAPA would like to reiterate to the traveling public that safety remains our highest priority when operating any aircraft, and we will never prioritize economics or flight schedules over safety. We look forward to having you our valued customers, as well as our own family members, back on board the 737-8. "
