BTW, back on thread, I also visited the airport at St. Helena on the same trip. Watched a calibration Super Kingair do wobbly circuits n bumps.
And what you learn to appreciate is that it's just a darn windy place in general. But as has been alluded to already, its not alone in that.
Us there thought that a prependicular runway heading further up the hill appeared more sensible (Prosperous Plain), but that's the major habitat of the indiginous (largely flightless) Wirebird. So presumably a no go.
Sometimes you just have to suck it up, and an alternative aircraft type with load penalties is the obvious solution. Whatever they come up with, it'll still for sure be cheaper than the alternative 5 n a half day ship voyage!