Asia Pacific Airlines to retrain crew after FAA grounded its fleet

Cargo airline Asia Pacific Airlines is working on getting its fleet back in the sky with crew training after it was grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA issued an Emergency Order of Suspension on February 1 to the operating authority of Aero Micronesia Inc., doing business as Asia Pacific Airlines because it was “unable to demonstrate that its pilots were properly trained” said the US government agency.

Adam Ferguson, president at Asia Pacific Airlines, told Air Cargo News that after the company appealed the FAA decision to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB): “15 of the 26 allegations regarding our Instructor training records were dismissed by the NTSB.”

He added: “However, since the hearing we must work with the FAA to discern a new Training Center and have our crews re-trained.”

This is in progress and the airline expects to “be back in the air soon”, according to Ferguson.

Ferguson said last month that Asia Pacific Airlines was in full compliance with all training record requirements, and its pilots were fully qualified to provide the crew training at the time the suspension was issued.

However, the airline had been warned last year by the FAA it was not compliant with regulations.

Asia Pacific Airlines is an FAA part-121 supplemental all-cargo carrier. Headquartered in US island territory Guam it operates across the Asia Pacific region.

The carrier operates a fleet of 757-200Fs, but its website does not specify how many.

Asia Pacific Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tan Holdings Corporation.