Tighter Agricultural Aviation Rules Are Coming

The Belize Department of Civil Aviation (BDCA) is tightening oversight of agricultural aviation after fatal accidents were recorded, including the July crash that killed veteran pilot Henry Plett in Spanish Lookout. Plett’s fatal crash occurred during an aerial spraying mission. 

On Tuesday, the BDCA convened agricultural aviation operators to discuss preliminary safety findings and immediate measures to prevent further incidents. 

“During the session, BDCA officials presented a series of interim safety recommendations for operators to implement immediately, proposed the development of more robust operational procedures, and highlighted the importance of regulatory certification and compliance, based on the preliminary findings,” BDCA said in a Thursday statement. 

Those measures are expected to include improved incident reporting, stronger oversight of personnel and aircraft, and closer coordination among operators on industry best practices. 

“A safe agricultural aviation sector is a sustainable one,” BDCA added. 

In a July interview with Nigel Carter, Director, Department of Civil Aviation, he said the push for tighter aviation rules is focused on prevention, stating that the findings in the Plett’s investigation would feed directly into regulatory change.

“The Accident Investigation Unit will make certain safety recommendations, and then the Department of Civil Aviation will then analyse them and, where necessary, implement the necessary regulatory changes or procedural changes to ensure that we plug up that hole and prevent that type of accident from happening again,” he said in July.