By Caryn Dolley
After enduring a controversial six-month wait, Working on Fire (WoF) is to receive an air operations certificate for their water bombing helicopters from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) later this month.
In the meantime, they have been given the go-ahead to continue operations with their two Huey helicopters and large Super Frelon helicopter.
Relations between the two organisations had become stressful and strained of late.
WoF's air operations manager, Louis Venter, yesterday said they would receive the air operations certificate within 30 days.
This week the CAA would also inspect two more of the WoF's Huey helicopters and possibly allow them to use the aircraft before the certificate is issued.
"We've waited over six months for this certificate. We hope we'll be allowed to use the two helicopters that must still be inspected because it will take some pressure off us. On December 20, the CAA inspected two other Huey helicopters and the Super Frelon and allowed us to proceed with operations," said Venter.
Last month, Venter said relations between WoF and the CAA were "stressful and strained" when the CAA had tried to suspend their operations. This meant they had not been permitted by the CAA to use the two Hueys or the Super Frelon helicopter.
However, Venter said they obtained an exemption from the department of transport which meant they did not need an air operations certificate to operate.
"The transport department issued us with an air operating licence. The CAA still had to supply us with the certificate. With the licence, we were allowed to operate and we told the CAA we would continue doing so," said Venter.
He said members of the CAA flew down to Cape Town the same week WoF informed them they would continue with operations.
"They completed their inspections and said we could use the aircraft. They told us that there were many rumours circulating about the aircraft, such as that we were not necessarily using them for work purposes. We used the week they were here to confront these rumours and other things and basically put those issues to bed. Everything is now resolved," he said.
Venter said he was relieved that they were to receive the certificate.
"We want to put all this behind us and do what we're meant to. Fire season started on December 1 and we were paranoid for a while that we wouldn't be able to operate. Now we feel ready for fires," he said.
The CAA said they would be able to respond to queries regarding WoF's air operations certificate only by this afternoon.