Members of Parliament have summoned Silverstone Air managers following two recent accidents involving their passenger aircrafts.
The airline has been on the spot following two incidents during takeoff, raising concerns about the safety of its planes.
A Silverstone Fokker 50 bound for Lamu skidded at Wilson Airport during takeoff on October 11 while another one made emergency landing at Eldoret International Airport on Monday under similar instances.
In the latest incident, the airline’s Dash 8 – 300 plane’s wheel was detached during takeoff at Lodwar while enroute to Nairobi.
The National Assembly Transport committee chaired by David Pkosing (Pokot South) has also summoned state agencies concerned with aviation.
Transport ministry leaders, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) have been called to the Friday meeting.
Pkosing told journalists at Parliament Buildings that KCAA will be required to brief the committee on the entire fleet of aircrafts operating through Wilson Airport.
In respect to Silverstone, the committee is seeking information of the aircrafts' age, their last inspection date, and who issued their airworthiness certificates.
“We also want details of the entire fleet that operate through Wilson Airport. We also need details of the age of all aircrafts currently operating from the said terminal,” Pkosing said.
He castigated KCAA following its statement on the Silverstone crashes that it has been doing audits on the aircrafts yet the same are still flying.
“It will not be business as usual. The people of Kenya should be rest-assured that we will protect the integrity of our air traffic so that Kenyans travel safely during the festive season,” Pkosing said.
He said the committee would make far-reaching declarations that will guide the operations of aircrafts in the country, especially those operating locally.
KAA would be taken on over concerns that some airports and airstrips are wanting, hence pose great risks to air travel users.
“We will not look at somebody’s business or interest but the safety of the people of Kenya,” the committee chairman said, adding that the deliberations would inform local airlines’ operations going forward.
Kenyans, following the incidents involving Silverstone Air, warned of imminent disasters in the face of KCAA’s failure to rein in on the airline over safety.
The regulator on Monday said it would audit the airlines’ operations to ascertain the reasons for the numerous incidents.
"KCAA reassures the public that safety and security remain within the Kenyan airspace remains a paramount priority," KCAA boss Gilbert Kibe said in a statement.
