Carnival paraglider had no permission
Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority takes step to prevent recurrence
The use of a paraglider during the Carnival in Jamaica Road March this year was not approved by the island’s aviation authorities.
“No permission was given by the JCAA (Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority),” Director General Nari Williams-Singh confirmed to the Jamaica Observer on May 15.
At the time, Williams-Singh said the matter was being investigated by JCAA’s Flight Safety team, but since then the Observer received information that the probe was completed and correspondence has been dispatched to the relevant local parities to prevent a recurrence.
The report, prepared by JCAA’s Director of Flight Safety Noel Ellis stated that on April 28 the JCAA was advised of an airshow conducted by Red Bull over revellers at the road march of Jamaica Carnival on April 27 in the New Kingston Area.
“The JCAA was not aware nor gave authorisation for this airshow,” the report said.
However, the JCAA investigators stated that after Wisynco Group Limited, the distributors of Red Bull in Jamaica, became aware of the planned airshow, the company contacted the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) requesting approval and promising, “strict compliance with all necessary local aviation regulations and permits”.
The JCAA report stated that by way of return correspondence, the JDF indicated that it had no objection to the operations.
“We have since met with the JDF to reconfirm that operations like the Red Bull airshow required both civil and military approval and that coordination is required between the JDF and JCAA for such shows to ensure that all parties are aware of aerial activities in Jamaican airspace,” the JCAA stated.
The authority also said that correspondences have been dispatched to Wisynco Group and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), the main coordinator of Jamaica Carnival activities, on the matter.
The JCAA explained that the correspondences, dated April 30 and May 5, respectively, indicated the breach of Civil Aviation Regulations regarding an unauthorised airshow and provided guidance on the process of approval of airshow permits as written in the Civil Aviation Regulations.
At the time the report was submitted, the JCAA said it was awaiting contact information from Wisynco for Red Bull (Panama), the organisers of the show to provide it with “the necessary guidance to prevent any type of recurrence”.
While paragliders are not regulated by the JCAA, operators are required to obtain a special aerial work permit for each flight.
The acrobatic paraglider, Chilean Victor “Bicho”Carrera, was seen in the sky soaring above revellers during the road march.
He returned later in the evening for a second aerial showcase at the Big Wall After-Party, illuminating the night sky with twists, turns, and signature flight manoeuvres that have made him a standout on the global paragliding stage.
However, a number of Jamaicans expressed concern about the risk that the aerial showcase posed to the electricity grid, given that the paragliding craft used fuel and Carrera took it quite low at times. They were also worried about the possibility of a mishap that could have resulted in injury to people on the ground.
