Ex-Pilot speaks out following fatal Air Taxi crash

July 27, 2024 12:27 am | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Doddy Morris.

Sebastien Lamoureux, a former Chief Pilot for a prominent airline in Vanuatu, has voiced strong criticism following the recent tragic Air Taxi crash that resulted in a fatality.

Lamoureux, who has extensive experience in the aviation industry, believes the accident was preventable and highlights significant operational concerns.

“After the tragedy involving Air Taxi, I felt compelled to say something,” he stated. “This crash is deemed to be a result of human error. The question that arises is why the current Chief Pilot rostered this particular pilot on this flight, especially given recent events involving the same pilot in a road accident with a company car.”

Lamoureux points to micromanagement as a potential factor contributing to the crash.

“You can’t run a successful airline and maintain a high safety level if your Chief Pilot is just a puppet and essentially non-existent other than on the Air Operator Certificate (AOC). Who really runs the show then? Who will take responsibility if things go south?”

He urged the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu (CAAV) to ensure that air operators understand the critical importance of not interfering by micromanaging their Chief Pilots and Operation Managers.

“Otherwise, it just opens the door for a string of bad Crew Resource Management (CRM), also known as the Swiss cheese model, which can lead to disaster.”

Lamoureux concluded his statement with a poignant reminder to the aviation community: “Stay safe up there.”

Air Taxi was contacted for response and are yet to respond.

The recent crash has intensified scrutiny on operational practices within the industry, and Lamoureux’s comments are likely to fuel ongoing debates about safety and management in aviation.