VZCZCXRO4871
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLU #0862/01 2321644
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201644Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4246
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0625

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUANDA 000862 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - CONNIE HUNTER 
ROME FOR TSA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR EAID ECON AO
SUBJECT: STRUGGLING FOR AVIATION SAFETY - ANGOLAN CIVIL AIR 
DIRECTOR MEETS USTDA 
 
REF: A. STATE 110696 
     ¶B. LUANDA 693 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  USTDA Country Manager for West and 
Central Africa Pierce Davis met with Angolan Civil Aviation 
Agency Director Antonio Pombal on 27 July 2007.  Davis found 
a Pombal preoccupied with INAVIC,s efforts to overcome a 
European Union ban on TAAG flights.  Pombal hopes for 
immediate DOT support through the Safe Skies program and 
continuing support to TAAG from the Boeing Corporation.  He 
also described INAVIC,s work with private contractors. 
Pombal wants both English-language training along with 
equipment and safety training from DOT for INAVIC,s new 
airworthiness inspectors.  Pombal, who also wants Angola to 
reach Category One status and initiate direct flights to the 
United States, listened carefully as Davis described areas 
where USTDA can fund studies serving Angolan civil 
aviation,s long-term development.  End summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  USTDA,s Country Director for West and Central 
Africa, Pierce Davis, called on the Antonio Pombal, Director 
of Angola,s Institute of Civil Aviation (INAVIC) while 
INAVIC was in a crisis.  On 4 July 2007 the European Union 
banned TAAG, the Angolan national airline, from EU airspace. 
After the ban went into effect, TAAG first tried rerouting 
its European flights to Cabo Verde, but TACV, Cabo Verde 
Airlines (TACV) did not have enough seats to carry all of 
TAAG,s EU-bound passengers.  Now, TAAG has leased airplanes 
and crews to continue flying its routes and schedules while 
the airline works to pass muster at the next EU review in 
October.  Angola,s Civil Aviation Agency, named with TAAG in 
the EU ban, also wants to achieve concrete results before the 
next EU review.  INAVIC Director Pombal took advantage of the 
visit by USTDA,s Davis to appeal for USG help and describe 
INAVIC,s efforts. 
 
Pombal at INAVIC 
---------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  On 27 July 2007, Antonio Pombal, meeting USTDA,s 
Pierce Davis immediately launched into a review of INAVIC,s 
concerns and its efforts to exit the EU,s blacklist.  Pombal 
hopes for immediate USG assistance to help Angolan civil 
aviation meet international standards.  He listened 
attentively to Davis,s explanation that while USTDA cannot 
provide immediate assistance, it does fund studies that 
identify ways to develop particular sectors of the economy ) 
including the transportation sector.  Davis suggested several 
areas where USTDA studies might help Angola define its 
long-term goals for civil aviation.  Possibilities included 
exploring the scope of Angola,s civil aviation needs, 
defining which services could enhance security at all 
airports, or the specific needs of Luanda,s new 
international airport.  (Note:  Pombal had just explained 
that a Chinese company would build the airstrip at an 
undetermined date, but that the terminal building and all 
other aspects of the airport have not yet been designed.  End 
note.) 
 
INAVIC Tackles Air Safety for Angola 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Pombal claimed that by the end of August Angola 
will have in place a new civil aviation law and its 
implementing regulations ) meeting part of the EU,s 
requirements.  INAVIC will continue working to meet EU 
standards throughout August and September.  INAVIC has also 
contracted for technical assistance with aviation safety from 
SH and E (Simat, Helliesen and Eichner, Inc., a U.S. 
corporation) to upgrade INAVIC,s abilities in air 
navigability inspections.  Topping stacks of books on 
Pombal,s desk lay two June 2007 studies, one by the European 
Union Air Safety Committee, &INAVIC ) Implementing the 
Highest Standards,8 the other a &Plan of Action for TAAG8 
in French by the Groupe Aero Conseil Group.  (Note:  Aero 
Conseil, according to its website, specializes in supplying 
airlines with employees in areas where they have a temporary 
shortage.  End note.) 
 
Four Major INAVIC Concerns 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Pombal grouped INAVIC,s current civil aviation 
safety concerns under four headings:  1)  Safe Skies for 
 
LUANDA 00000862  002 OF 002 
 
 
Africa; 2)  The new TAAG fleet; 3)  Airworthiness 
inspections; and 4) licensing for Angola,s civil aviation 
sector. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Safe Skies for Africa.  INAVIC would like to 
define training programs and time tables with the U. S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT).  Pombal has recently 
hired 22 new inspectors and hopes DOT can help train them and 
10 additional INAVIC inspectors to be hired soon.  Pombal 
confirmed that the revised 2007 GRA budget funds both the new 
and the additional inspectors.  Pombal hopes that DOT can 
also provide training on equipment and security, and said 
Angola would like to know what the training would include and 
its cost. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  New TAAG Fleet.  Referring to a 17 April 2006 
letter from Boeing describing 13 training programs for TAAG, 
Pombal noted that some of the programs cited had not yet 
started.  However, he readily conceded that some of Boeing,s 
programs cannot start before current programs achieve their 
goals and agreed that those programs are moving slowly. 
Programs in progress include developing a new IT program for 
TAAG and a review of TAAG,s flight operations.  Programs 
that have not yet started include building a regional Boeing 
maintenance center and helping TAAG create a new image and 
corporate identity. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Airworthiness Inspections.  A Miami company is 
training seven of INAVIC,s new air worthiness inspectors. 
Pombal planned to travel to Miami to propose expanding 
training to include illegal air traffic and interference with 
traffic. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Licensing for Angola,s civil aviation sector. 
INAVIC has contracted several international companies, 
including the American SH and E, to assist in this area. 
 
Conveying Pombal,s Concern to DOT 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Davis congratulated INAVIC and TAAG for securing 
program support on airworthiness from both DOT and Boeing. 
Davis also offered to contact both Boeing and DOT upon his 
return to the United States.  Davis suggested that USTDA 
could explore funding a study of the aviation security sector 
for Angola.  Davis added that USTDA might also fund a study 
to identify what Luanda,s future international airport will 
need. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  USTDA Davis,s visit to INAVIC found the agency 
straining to find ways to overcome the EU ban on TAAG flights 
by October.  Although Pombal echoed some of the standard 
complaints by the GRA and TAAG that the ban was not 
justified, he seemed more concerned with making the best use 
of the time to improve INAVIC and TAAG,s operations.  Pombal 
also made clear INAVIC,s desire to work with the U.S. 
Department of Transportation and the Safe Skies Program to 
raise Angolan civil aviation to Category One status.  A 
revised 2007 budget with funds for additional inspectors 
suggests high-level GRA support for an continuing aviation 
safety program meeting international standards.  Although 
most of Pombal,s concerns are short-term, he did listen 
attentively to Davis,s description of how USTDA can provide 
long-term help.  End Comment. 
 
¶12.  This message has been cleared by Pierce Davis, Country 
Director for West and Central Africa 
FERNANDEZ