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### Viewing cable 08SANJOSE195, CODEL COSTELLO REVIEWS CIVIL AVIATION

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08SANJOSE195 | 2008-03-12 19:27 | 2011-03-14 18:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy San Jose

Appears in these articles:
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-12/Investigacion/NotasDestacadas/Investigacion2711772.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-10/Investigacion/NotasDestacadas/Investigacion2707705.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-10/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2707712.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-10/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2707716.aspx

`

    VZCZCXYZ0017
    PP RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHSJ #0195/01 0721927
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    P 121927Z MAR 08
    FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9517
    INFO RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 5219

` `

    UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000195

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    DEPT FOR H:DRICH AND WHA/CEN:RBEAL

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: OREP PREL PGOV ETRD ECON EAIR SNAR CS
    SUBJECT: CODEL COSTELLO REVIEWS CIVIL AVIATION

    ¶1.  SUMMARY. On March 1-4, a Congressional delegation
    (CODEL) led by the Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry
    Costello (D-IL) visited Costa Rica to review the aircraft
    repair operations of Cooperativa Autogestionaria de
    Servicios Aeroindustriales R.L. (COOPESA). COOPESA has
    ongoing offshore repair contracts with several U.S.
    airlines.  The delegation seemed impressed by the quality
    of work conducted at COOPESA.  With Minister of Public
    Transport (MOPT) Gonzalez, the CODEL discussed advances in
    regional civil aviation, public-private partnerships for
    highway development, and revenue sources for infrastructure
    improvements.  The CODEL also toured the Ministry of Public
    Security's Air Wing, which has a major counter-narcotics
    mission.  This cable has been cleared by CODEL Costello.
    END SUMMARY.

    =========================
    A CHECK ON CIVIL AVIATION
    =========================

    ¶2. Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL), Chairman of the Subcommittee
    on Aviation, part of the House Transportation and
    Infrastructure Committee, led the CODEL on a two-country
    visit to El Salvador and Costa Rica, February 28 - March 4.
    CODEL members (all making their first visit to Costa Rica)
    are listed in paragraph eight.  Associate Administrator of
    Aviation Safety for the Federal Aviation Administration
    (FAA) Nicolas Sabatini was included in the delegation.  The
    CODEL's goal was to observe the day-to-day operations of
    major commercial aircraft repair stations located in Costa
    Rica as well as to review "out-sourced" aircraft repair
    facilities.

    =====================
    COOPESA OF COSTA RICA
    =====================

    ¶3. On March 3, the delegation reviewed the work operations
    of COOPESA, the leading aircraft repair facility in Costa
    Rica.  Based at San Jose's Juan Santamaria airport, COOPESA
    has operated for 45 years as an employee-owned company.
    The company's principle business is "line maintenance" for
    cargo and passenger narrow-body Boeing aircraft such as the
    727, 737, and 757.  COOPESA can also perform "heavy
    maintenance."  In addition to servicing aircraft from
    throughout the Americas, major U.S. companies including
    Aloha airlines, CIT Group, and Ryan contract with COOPESA
    for ongoing maintenance.  Aloha alone accounts for about 30
    percent of COOPESA's business.  COOPESA, which has about 80
    percent of the aircraft "line maintenance" market at Juan
    Santamaria, also performs maintenance on an "as needed"
    basis for American, Continental, and Delta Airlines.

    ¶4. COOPESA CEO Rimsky Buitrago described the company's
    operations and business model to the delegation,
    highlighting that aircraft and passenger safety was the
    number one rule in his company.  The delegation toured the
    company's facilities, including stops in the parts
    warehouse, a project control room, and two aircraft
    undergoing repair in COOPESA's hangars.  When asked by
    CODEL members, Buitrago outlined maintenance procedures,
    project tracking, and quality control issues.  He also
    explained to Rep. Hirono (D-HI) that although Aloha
    Airlines did not serve the Central American market, the
    company's management had determined that COOPESA could
    deliver quality maintenance at a lower cost than its
    previous maintenance provider in Canada.  The delegation
    praised COOPESA's attention to quality and commitment to
    customer service.

    =======================
    CALLING ON THE MINISTER
    =======================

    ¶5.  After the COOPESA tour, the delegation met with the
    Minister of Public Transport, Karla Gonzalez.  Also
    attending the meeting was Vice Minister Viviana Martin and
    the Director General of Civil Aviation, Jorge Fernandez
    Chacon.  Chairman Costello described the delegation's
    mission to Gonzalez and shared their positive observations
    of COOPESA.  Gonzalez acknowledged the importance of FAA
    standards and influence in the development of aviation
    safety policy worldwide.  She noted that Costa Rica
    obtained its "Category 1" rating in 2002, has maintained
    the rating, and has set the standard for Guatemala and El
    Salvador.  The FAA's Sabatini commented on Costa Rica's
    "quantum leap in the improvement of standards" and praised
    the country, specifically Jorge Vargas, Director of Agencia
    Centroamericana para la Seguridad Aeronautica (COCESNA),
    for its leadership in the regionalization of aviation
    safety in Central America.

    ¶6.  Minister Gonzalez summarized Costa Rica's many
    infrastructure challenges and said, "we have a long way to
    go."  Responding to several questions from Rep. DeFazio (D-
    OR), Gonzalez said the GOCR paid for road improvements
    through taxes but these revenues had not been allocated to
    the Ministry for more than ten years.  She reported that
    only in January of this year, thanks to the leadership of
    President Arias, the Ministry of Public Transport (MOPT)
    had finally received its earmark for roads.  Gonzalez also
    explained that MOPT needed to achieve better progress to
    structure public partnerships to improve the road system.
    Rep. DeFazio recommended that MOPT consider the Spanish
    system of public private partnership as a model to improve
    Costa Rica's roads since he believed it was one of the more
    successful partnerships in Europe.  Chairman Costello
    suggested that MOPT could use a financing mechanism of
    dedicated taxes to support concessions for airport
    improvements.  In response, the Minister noted Costa Rica's
    difficulties with concessions ("no successful concessions
    of any kind") and that this was another area of much needed
    improvement.

    =========================
    APPRECIATING THE AIR WING
    =========================

    ¶7. Before departing Costa Rica, the delegation toured the
    GOCR's Air Wing commanded by Colonel Oldemar Madrigal of
    the Ministry of Public Security.  Madrigal noted that some
    of his equipment had been acquired as seized assets from
    narco-traffickers.  While showing the delegation the GOCR's
    C7 Caribou under restoration, he described the Air Wing's
    mission to combat drug trafficking, support security
    efforts, and assist with disaster relief.  Also, Embassy
    staff noted NASA's scientific missions that are conducted
    in part from facilities controlled by the Air Wing.
    Chairman Costello appreciated the tour and noted how the
    GOCR did admirable work with few resources.

    ¶8. Delegation Members:

     -- Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL)
     -- Rep. Henry E. Brown (R-SC)
     -- Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
     -- Rep. Cliff Stearns(R-FL)
     -- Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
     -- Nicolas A. Sabatini, FAA
     -- Janice McKinney, Speaker's Office
     -- Jimmy Miller
     -- Stacie Soumbeniotis
     -- Holly Woodruff Lyons
     -- Christa Fornarotto
     -- Jana Denning
     -- Deborah Omori, Doctor
     -- MAJ Jeremy Glauber
     -- SSG Will Reinhard
     -- SGT Hermann Thomas

    ¶9. This cable has been cleared by CODEL Costello.

    BRENNAN

`