Costa Mar air operators adopt new pilot screening after engine incident

The Costa Mar Aviation Authority issued a safety bulletin on August 12 requiring all commercial pilots operating in the region to submit to random substance testing, effective immediately. The directive applies to scheduled carriers, charter operators, and cargo flights using the region's two main airports: Puerto Azul International and the smaller Playa Dorada aerodrome near the northern coast.

The move follows a federal incident review by the Air Safety Commission in Meridian, which examined a mechanical failure aboard a regional carrier last month. While the commission's preliminary findings attributed the incident to an engine malfunction, the review prompted a broader examination of pilot protocols across all regions. Costa Mar's Aviation Authority determined that substance-testing procedures, though technically in place, had not been uniformly enforced.

The two largest carriers operating from Puerto Azul—Caribbean Horizon Airways and Eco-Sky Regional—announced compliance with the new protocols within hours of the bulletin. A third operator, based in Playa Dorada, requested a thirty-day implementation window, citing logistical constraints. The Authority approved the extension on condition that the carrier complete its first round of testing by September 15.