Danish CAA on airport audit: Findings related to administrative procedures – no impact on flight safety.
During its most recent visit in August, the CAA carried out an inspection of Esbjerg Airport’s tower service and, in that connection, identified and issued remarks on 13 matters. The vast majority relate to administrative procedures.
All identified issues are classified as level 2 and 3, meaning that none of them constitute an immediate risk to flight safety.
The CAA has therefore given the airport a deadline of up to six months to correct the issues raised.
The criticism concerns, among other things, shortcomings in the documentation of procedures as well as a lack of staffing resources.
“All points fall within what is defined as level 2 and 3. This means that none of the issues pose a direct threat to safety. Of course, they must be corrected, and we are already working on that,” says Susanne Kruse Sørensen, Airport Manager at Esbjerg Airport.
As part of the follow‑up, the airport has already decided to hire a safety manager. This person will ensure that the administrative matters, including documentation of safety work, are brought into compliance as quickly as possible.
“Running an airport is a complex task with continuously increasing requirements to maintain a high level of safety. It is therefore not unusual that inspections by the CAA result in findings. We see this as a constructive opportunity for improvement, and we value having an oversight authority with whom we have a good working relationship and who helps us maintain a high standard,” says Susanne Kruse Sørensen.
She emphasizes that no issues have been found that pose a direct risk to passengers or aviation operations.
“We take the criticism seriously and continuously work to improve our procedures. Many of the issues identified were already being addressed, and we will continue that work with full commitment.”
What do the CAA’s finding levels mean?
Level 1
Findings of critical and significant importance to flight safety result in the operating approval of the inspected entity being suspended or restricted until the deviation has been corrected.
Level 2
For findings with potential significance for flight safety (internal categorization level 2), the inspected entity must implement corrective actions within an acceptable timeframe. Deadlines will be approved by the CAA in accordance with established practice and a concrete assessment of the safety implications. In certain areas, international guidelines exist for such deadlines, and these apply where relevant.
Level 3
For other observations that are not actual deviations, the inspected entity is made aware that these are issues that may be inappropriate and should therefore be addressed.