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Hazardous planes put Nazca tourists at risk

Living in Peru
Jobana Soto

In a recent publication by the Peruvian Times, pilots flying tourists over the Nazca Lines are using aircrafts more than 50 years old, putting many at risk with deadly accidents and emergency landings.

Airline companies like Nasca Conexión Co., Taxi Aéreo Ejecutivo, Carlos Palacín Fernández EIRL, now Travel Air, and Aero Paracas use out-of-date aircrafts ranging between 20 to more than 50 years old. Nasca Conexión is the only company running three fairly new aircrafts, dating back to 1998 or later.

All airline companies running out of Maria Reiche Airport in Nazca must update their aircrafts if they are to take tourists over the Nazca Lines. But according to a María Reiche airport employee, they are not allowed to enforce the law, giving airline companies leeway to operate without meeting operating standards. According to the employee, only pressure from the Ministry of Transportation and the General Direction of Civil Aviation can enforce the rule.

Recent accidents and emergency landings have occurred throughout the year,  risking the lives of passengers and tourism for Nazca Lines. In August, an aircraft registered to the Wings of American Corporation had to make an emergency landing due to mechanical malfunction.

In April, five French tourists were killed when the aircraft experienced mechanical failure and had to make an emergency landing. In the process, the aircraft struck some high tension wires that were illegally constructed and crashed.

According to a local airline pilot, Eduardo Herrán Gómez de la Torre told El Comercio that tourism around the Nazca region would boom if they had better functioning aircrafts with more capcity.

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# Rachel in Peru says :
3 December, 2008 [ 11:21 ]

I'll stick to the observation tower, thank you.

# Tony says :
3 December, 2008 [ 13:15 ]

I took the flight over the Nazca lines. I almost puked my guts out by the fourth image.  Fly at your own risk!  I always wanted to fly over the lines once in my life. I'm still glad I went, but I've never had a desire to do it again.

# WoW says :
3 December, 2008 [ 15:21 ]

Been There Done That!  What surprising news, or isnt it??  Take a look at the BUS and TAXI situation in LIMA,  more deadly accidents EVERY DAY, yet no person as Enforced the amountof Road Rage, Damages Cars with Bad Breaks, and Bad Tires,  and so on and so on. 

I know 4 dead frenchmen is horrible, but do you know that there are 10-20 deaths every month in Peru ONLY BECAUSE of : "NOT LEGAL ROAD WORTHY" vehicles.

I am sure this comes to a shock to all of you, i am sure. 

Anyway, back to the subject at hand,;  I know the airline situation is horrible in Peru, HOWEVER, a plane that is 50 years old is JUST AS GOOD AS A PLANE THAT IS 2 years old, ONLY if the regular maintence is done.   I have been piloting cesna 172 aircraft since i was 16.  I have flown aircraft way beyond 5 years old, and providing the maintenence is upto date, the plane will be VERY SAFE....

The news in this article should be about the LACK OF maintenence, not tabout the AGE OF theaircraft.... 

I find it more interesting to know that they charge alot of money to fly those lines now adays, and they continue to run those planes on Dirty Oil, un lubes cables and such....

My advice is to BAN ALL FLIGHTS THERE UNTIL an FAA certified inspector can look over the aircraft.   I ALREADY KNOW THAT THERE ARE NO FAA regulations for Any airport in peru, excluding Jorge Chaves Int.

My God Have Mercy on yoursould if you fly those lines in a NON FAA Certified aircraft!!!  May God Bless You!

-Sorry bout the spelling, I am in a hurry,  also, the editor should revise this news to SAFE AIRCRAFT MAINTENCE,  and not about the AGE OF THE Aircraft!!!

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# Donald says :
3 December, 2008 [ 18:02 ]

It is not the age of the aircraft that is the problem, and it could be the maintenance, but then it is more the Idea that it is an aircraft accident that is the problem here.
If we reported the car and bus accidents like we report an aircraft accident, you would have to go to page 200 in the NEWS paper to read articles that are not front page headlines everyday.
If you were to maintain your car under the same rules as and aircraft are, it would be cheaper to buy disposable cars each year than to perform the required maintenance.
FAA = DGAC = ICAO / OACI = JAA etc. etc., they all follow the same basic rules and if you look very closely you will find that the DGAC RAP of Peru is the Spanish version of the FAA FARs with more rules added than the FAA to control more closely aviation than the FAA.
As for the age of the aircraft, if you think that age makes you safer than don't ask how old the Airliner is the next time you are getting on the airlines, 20 years old is only mid life for them, and it is not just Peru, it is world wide.
Getting sick is not the aircrafts fault, it is usually nerves, poor adaptation to adverse attitudes or just plain poor coordination and technique of the pilot, not the aircraft. You walk at your own risk, Drive at your own risk, get on the Bus at your own risk, get in the elevator at your own risk, so fly at you own risk. I will need to check it out, but the elevator may be the only one thing that is safer than the airplane, but  riding in a car or bus, riding a horse are all more dangerous.
As for all the aircraft in NAZCA, they are all US made, and have FAA certification, but they are in Peru and are operated under the DGAC with Peruvian certification, which is the FAA rules written in Spanish with more restictions. Peru follows the ICAO (International civil Aviation Organization) just like the FAA.
What happened to investigative reporting when you write an article, or is more interesting to write something that you don't know anything about and sell it to people that don't know the difference.

# Rachel in Peru says :
3 December, 2008 [ 18:15 ]

LIP doesn't write the articles (only translates), they pull them from Agencia Andina, La Republica, El Comercio, etc.

# Donald says :
3 December, 2008 [ 18:33 ]

I didn't ask you.

# Rick says :
3 December, 2008 [ 18:34 ]

As U. S. citizen living in Peru for many years the Nazca lines is one of the "undone" things on my list of the many wonderful experiences one can have in this country.   Reading this does not discourage me from realizing that experience but only acts as a good reference for what airline I should choose for my flight.  I am sure that Nasca Conexión appreciates the plug.  For sure that will be my choice. 

I am sure that one reader's comments that maintenance is a key factor is true but, come on - 50 year old airplanes!  Not surprising though since the same reader is "right on" in mentioning the thousands of buses, combis and taxis rolling through this city every day are hazzardous (not to mention pollution in Lima 9 times higher than accepted levels) because there is no control or enforcement for safety or emissions. 

I absolutely agree that all planes should be grounded until they can pass the most stringent inspections.   It is obviously a thriving business with the huge increase in tourism from people world-wide coming to Peru to fly the lines.  Shut down those companies that do not put a portion of their profits into upgrading their planes and elect to put national and international customers' lives at risk.  These are relatively short flights and emergency landings and crashes should be very minimal so a further report about just how often either occurs would be great.  Every operator should post their accident history and inspection certificates for all prospective customers to review before paying for their tickets.  
  

# Donald says :
3 December, 2008 [ 18:56 ]

Rachel In Peru, The previous comment was not from me . I was not criticizing LIP

# Donald says :
3 December, 2008 [ 19:42 ]

It was interesting that when I looked up the opertors mentioned in the article I could not find the NAZCA Connection co as a listed DGAC Opertor, which could make it a new company with less than one year in Operation, and I have no problem with this other than to rebutt the articles attack on the age of the aircraft, Why is this new company using ten year old aircraft if it such a big deal?

I also went to a listing of aircraft in Peru and found that maybe one Cesna 172 is close to 50 years old, but 20 years or newer is more like it for the aircraft flying the lines.

This article is looking more like a free ride for the reporter from and operator.

# Lynn says :
3 December, 2008 [ 20:51 ]

My family and I flew over the Nasca Lines during our first trip to Peru  twenty years ago.  When the pilot attempted to start the plane the engine was dead.  So the pilot backed up a pickup truck to the plane,  got out his trusty starter cables and jump started the plane.  The flight was great expect for the fact that two of us got sick.  Upon the plane landed my husband ask where to put the "barf bags".  He was told behind the wall.  When he looked behind the wall there was a pile of bags.  

On that trip and others I have ridden on boats, planes, buses, and cabs that I would never have thought of riding in the states. Things should be safer but they aren't.  It is just part of traveling in Peru.

# WoW says :
3 December, 2008 [ 22:58 ]

LIP-  we know they only translate from major news sources.  please dont take my anger into this too harshly.  The anger comes from stupid ignorance, nada mas.

Donald, thanks for taking my side.  The news article directs a HIT to the airlines and infact its not the planes, its the owners who seem to fleece and take advantage of the income.  NO MENTION OF THE BUS CRASH that just Killed One Expat though huh?  I know that many times traveling north in a bus, we are constantly stopped or delayed for hours due to another BUS crash.

I think if a Bus carring passangers is caught passing another bus in a no passing zone, or the buss is exceeding the speedlimit of 7 MPH,  this should constitute automatic JAIL and FINE to the driver and to the company AND loss of Passenger Chofer license.

We need serious laws to be put in place for this situation with the busses.  I am sure with this kind of penality, you will see a 70%-80% drop in deadl;y buss crashes.

BACK TO THE TOPIC AT LARGE:   ALL TOURISTS SHOULD NOT FLY UNLESS THE PLANE IS FAA CERTIFIED>  i dont care iof the plane has to be jump started,  this happens.  but when the plane has to manually FORCE the flaps to go down,  this is a problem....  the aircraft at 2 yrs old or 70 years old,  not a problem if it has been maintained.  like wearing a pair of shoes, when the bottoms wear out, get new bottoms put on.  but those planes seem to fly with bad tires other sorts of things.

PS. did those lines 3 years ago, loved it.... did the video and picture thing.  was in a cesna 172, 4 passanger 2 crew,  the flight was safe. cant remember the price i paid.  I booked it through a travel agency in ICA at the plaza.  Had a private taxi to the airport, also nice ride with several stops.  in all, payed about $300... not sure whats the going rate these days.

# SA says :
4 December, 2008 [ 04:17 ]

I have to agree that the Peruvian government needs to inspect the aircrafts for safety.  I noticed that earlier this year the Peruvian government grounded a commercial passenger aircraft from Argentina after it made an emergency landing in Lima.  I wonder why there is not a minimum safety inspection done on these aircrafts every so often???

# P.M. says :
5 September, 2009 [ 20:00 ]

Beware of Nazca Conexxion. They will not respect any terms or conditions when they offer you their packages.

Make sure to find out what the schedule for flights for the different companies is for that week so that you can get the best deal and negotiate the price at the airport.

For example, especially in low season, get to the airport, go to all the companies and ask what time their flights leave. If you are not in a hurry, you can save about 30 US$ per person. See if you can have them pay the airport tax for you, and you can save another 5 US$.

Normally, the list price for foreigner is about 60 US$, but you can always bargain.

Also, check what their flight plan is beforehand. Some companies offer standard Nasca and Palpa lines for a flight lasting about 50 minutes. Others also throw in another 10-minute flight to go over Pampa Galeras.

At any rate, check and double check and if possible, have everything written in your voucher for your protection.

Enjoy the flight after all  this ordeal. It is worth it!!!

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