Colombia Issues General Aviation Restrictions

Following the fatal crashes of a Piper Navajo on September 1 in Bogotá and an MD-82 operated by Colombian carrier West Caribbean Airlines on August 16 in Venezuela, the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil) ordered the “indefinite suspension” of all general aviation operations at Guaymaral and El Dorado International Airports in Bogotá, Alfonso Bonilla International Airport in Cali and Jose Maria Cordoba International and Olaya Herrera Airports in Medellin. According to a September 2 alert from Houston-based Air Security International, Aerocivil will reportedly carefully examine all GA companies operating from these facilities. Furthermore, “new general aviation companies and those in the process of certification were also suspended.” In addition, ASI said, foreign-registered aircraft flying in Colombia require authorization in advance when using the above mentioned airports, and aircraft will “undergo careful inspections” while on the ground by Colombian authorities before being allowed to depart.