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Thread: PNG Airstrips
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Old 28th Feb 2011, 02:56
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Captain Nomad
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
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All operators are required to keep their own airstrip 'intelligence' manuals. What used to be the standard listing, the AGA (a bit like ERSA but not), produced by CAA is no longer kept up to date. The responsibility of maintaining relevant airstrip information has been transferred to the operators. When I was up there a few years ago the CAA was not able to carry out inspections to open a new strip/re-open a closed one but rather wanted the operator to carry out the inspection process.

Operators have their own 'route and strip' registers but whether an open strip is useable can vary on almost a daily basis depending on everything from amount of rain overnight to whether the village is embroiled in a tribal fight. Operators who haven't been into a strip for a while will often call another operator who has been there more recently for an update.

Just because a strip is 'open' doesn't mean you can go in there either. There is a strict 'checking-in' process depending on your experience and hours in country. This is to help protect pilots and machines from the numerous death traps.
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