Tramon pushes for stricter policing of dangerous goods

Anton Marsh THE CHARTER operator Tramon Air is continuing to make its mark in the specialised freight sector, where dangerous goods are a particular concern for owner Daniel Coetzer. He is fighting to have regulations governing the air carriage of dangerous goods re-examined and more stringently enforced. “A lot of people flying dangerous goods don’t know what they are doing,” said Coetzer. “In an emergency, you can’t just open a window.” There is a distinct need for companies to observe the regulations to the full, he added, something he considers essential when it comes to dangerous consignments. “For example,” said Coetzer, “we at Tramon Air work closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the monitoring of our flights and always request special assistance and advice from them on the packing instructions and routings we should follow. “We also consult with them on airports to be used for departure of this type of cargo from SA. For certain goods we are requested to use military airfields only due to the nature of the cargo and for security reasons.” On some flights where Tramon has 10-tons or more of dangerous cargo, it even follows special oceanic routes to stay clear of land. “These can make flights 50-70% longer,” Coetzer said, “but it’s essential for security reasons to ensure aircraft cannot be intercepted by bandits or terrorists.” Coetzer is worried that the freedom of freighters moving dangerous goods leads to irresponsible movement - especially in times of slow business when freighters will take on any work. He has called for a move for companies in dangerous goods freighting to have to be registered with the authorities.