The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority is reviewing the application by Silverstone Air for a name change to JetLite Air Limited.
“The application to approve or deny the request has not yet been made”, KCAA Director general Gilbert Kibe told Shipping and Logistics.
Silverstone voluntarily suspended passenger flights in November 2019, even after the aviation regulator had lifted the provisional suspension of its Dash- 8 fleet over alleged security breaches.
AVIATION AUTHORITIES and police launch probe after a Silverstone Air plane from Lodwar loses a wheel midair; makes emergency landing in Eldoret. pic.twitter.com/ZJYUJz5aPh
— Nation Breaking News (@NationBreaking) October 28, 2019
Since then, the troubled carrier that started operations in the Kenyan market in 2017 has been operating cargo flights across markets.
“We have received an application by Silverstone seeking to change its name to Jetlite Air and we are still working on it,” said Mr Kibe.
“In the next few days, a verdict on the matter will be out. Maybe in the next one week we will have reached a decision on the matter.”
A cargo plane skidded off runway upon landing at Mogadishu airport on Saturday, the pilots survived with broken legs, source says. The Kenya-registered #Silverstone Air Services was carrying rations for the African Union troops in Somalia, per source. pic.twitter.com/zSVAZweyMh
— Harun Maruf (@HarunMaruf) September 19, 2020
Silverstone’s troubles started in September 2019 after a passenger aircraft operated by the airline skidded off the runway at Wilson Airport, Nairobi.
The Fokker 50 aircraft plunged into a thicket, hitting some trees and breaking part of its wing, before being grounded, and tilted to one side.
In October 2019, another Dash 8 – 300 aircraft, registration number 5YBWG, and operated by the carrier was also forced to make an emergency landing at Eldoret International Airport after one of its tyres dropped off mid-air a few moments after taking off from Lodwar.
Silverstone Air is a tickling time bomb 💣… I don't know what Kenya Civil Aviation is waiting for before revoking their license… Are you waiting for Kenyans to die in numbers then call for press conferences 🤷♂️🤦♂️… Ndege zenu ziko kama basi za Githurai 45. pic.twitter.com/32fy53fnXx
— MUHAMMAD ONYANGO (@Moha001_Onyango) October 28, 2019
The move saw the aviation regulator temporarily suspend its operations for about a week to probe the security breaches. The airline’s fleet of Dash 8 were grounded.
A few weeks later, KCAA rescinded the decision saying the airline “had provided satisfactory corrective measures as per the requirements of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2018, following comprehensive compliance audits”.
Tuesday, the airline’s reservations manager Maurine Bittah said the airline has paid up a substantial number of air ticket refunds and debts owed to suppliers as it gears up to resume operations under a new brand.
SILVERSTONE AIR UNDER PROBE:
Silverstone aircraft crash lands at Eldoret airport. Plane made emergency landing after wheel came off. Wheel dropped off after takeoff from Lodwar airstrip.
KAA orders probe on Silverstone Air Services #MondayReport pic.twitter.com/FvcZeXZReK— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 28, 2019
Planes destroyed by one of the Silverstone Air plane last night at Wilson Airport. pic.twitter.com/womXhT4qBx
— Robert ALAI, HSC (@RobertAlai) October 27, 2019
Silverstone Air has released a press statement on the Wilson Airport crash at 9.00am, All passengers on the Plane were catered for. No details of the cause of accident have been revealed yet
.#KenyanTraffic #Kenya #News #Update pic.twitter.com/oVuYjWzEpg @UzalendoNews_KE— KenyanTraffic (@KenyanTraffic) October 11, 2019
