St. Helena Service

[inOban]

There's an airport with a 3700m concrete runway called Catumbela in Angola, which is only about 1150nm from St Helena. Currently only has internal flights.

[RAT 5]

Currently only has internal flights.

Was that one designated for NASA shuttle emergency recovery? Now that would have been an interesting classification if it had ever happened.

[inOban]

I assume it was originally a military airfield. I found it by googling Angola airports!

Whatever, an a/c could refuel there before St.H.

[lolder]

It appears the ERJ 190 has about 6.5-7.0 endurance. The flight from CPT to HLE is about 4.5 hours which leaves at least 2 hours for island reserves. Going back 1100 nm to Africa seems like a stretch. St, Helena just issued a RFP for tender offers: http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-con...l-document.pdf

[inOban]

Actually I'm puzzled why they seem determined to operate the route from CPT. There are flights into Luanda every day from Portugal, and less frequently from most other European capitals including LHR, from which St H is easy.

[lolder]

Most of the Saint's connections to health care, banking, etc., are in the CPT area where the supply ship RMS St. Helena has left from for decades. In addition, that area of SW South Africa is home to more affluent prospective tourists. A connection to Europe should ideally go north from St. Helena, not 5 hours south to JNB and then 12 hours north again.

[inOban]

Not sure what JNB has to do with it. Direct flights to Europe from Luanda. I would have thought that most of the tourists would be from UK/EU rather than SA.

The RMS St Helena used to visit the UK at least a couple of times a year. Until the 70s, the island was served by Union Castle ships on route to Cape Town.

[lolder]

The original subsidized service was awarded to Comair for JNB HLE service. That was for South Africa Tourism and connections to Europe at JNB. The Saint citizens wanted it to go CPT HLE. South Africa is the major tourist source.

[Aksai Oiler]

InOban obviously you have never been to Luanda? Visas to Angola are and never were easy and the flights to Portugal are not full of tourists heading to the beaches of Luanda.

[inOban]

I am well aware that there are, how shall I put this, 'governance' issues in Angola. London will be looking for a low-cost feasible bid.

[volare7266]

Cape Town is the only hub for flights to St. Helena that really makes sense Strong ties with St. Helena (history / trade / family / medical / tourism). For international visitors a combination Western Cape and St. Helena could be a great vacation..

[Aksai Oiler]

So we agree Angola is not a practical or cost effective solution and never will be

[RAT 5]

Google maps will not calculate the distances, but.....Windhoek in Nambia is much closer to HLE than CPT, and I assume is friendly. What about CPT - WDH - HLE & return? Namibia is becoming a strong tourist destination. Throw in an excursion or two. It would put more fuel in the tanks, or payload in the hold. Does anyone have distances and prevailing winds? Would WDH make a better alternate for HLE than others mentioned. Could an EB-190 fly safely CPT-HLE with WDH as an alternate? However, I always thought the object of a schedule service was to deliver the pax to their intended destination on time. If the guarantee of that was with a fuel stop in WDH, giving loiter time and multiple approaches at HLE before bailing out, is that not the better option than having to turn round almost immediately?
There are those who will have all the numbers at their finger tips better than I.


Just did a quick search and was given the following great circle distances.

CPT - HLE = 1692nm

WDH - HLE = 1352nm

Surely a useful difference when on an island operation.

[lolder]

The nearest alternate for HLE is ASI, 700nm. ERJ 190's can do CPT HLE with ASI as an alternate with about 100 passengers. It doesn't need to make a fuel stop. Even an extended range Avro RJ100 needs to make a fuel stop at Walvis Bay on a CPT HLE route and even then can't carry it's full 100 passengers. It's probably not cost effective to make a stop inbound to St. Helena to increase cargo payload. Any inbound air freight is likely to be light. There is a contract for a once a month maritime cargo ship to supply HLE. The flight from HLE to CPT in the ERJ 190 could carry several 1000 lbs. of cargo as the reserve full requirement is not as great.

[fireflybob]

RAT5, your figures are close.

CPT - HLE = 1697 nm

WDH - HLE = 1367

from Great Circle Mapper

CPT - HLE

WDH - HLE

[BA318]

Newsroom « St Helena


St. Helena Government are looking for another operator.

[Heathrow Harry]

"HG is seeking to award a contract or contracts to a suitably qualified organisation or organisations to provide regular air services to the Island, including a direct service between St Helena and Ascension Island to meet the needs of Saints and their employers on Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands.The requirement is for a minimum of a weekly flight, operating throughout the year, to a recognised international hub airport or to an airport with direct connections to the UK or South Africa. There are a number of potential solutions for regular scheduled air services to and from St Helena.

SHG is keen to put in place a contract with a provider that offers the best possible air service for the Island, or indeed with a number of providers, whose combined services would ensure full access. ..........................................................

Potential air service providers seeking further information are invited to view the document and annex on the Publications Page of the SHG website at: Publications « St Helena or to contact Marc Lockley, Corporate Procurement Executive, via: [email protected] Any requests for clarification of the procurement process must be received by 12.00hrs GMT on Friday 6 January 2017.

SHG wishes to appoint an operator or operators using an aircraft type capable of landing on the southern approach (Runway 02), which involves a tailwind component. This will be for a period of time, while we continue to explore the potential for scheduled services into the northern approach (Runway 20). Relevant data from July 2016 on wind speeds is included in the Information Memorandum for potential operators and updates will be provided as they become available. Whilst all dates are provisional and dependent on the outcome of the procurement exercise, SHG aims to award a final contract by the end of May 2017. The closing date for tenders is 12.00hrs GMT on Friday 27 January 2017.


In order to continue to provide security of access to St Helena, SHG is also pleased to announce the extension of the RMS St Helena service beyond 1 July 2017. Henceforth, the future schedule for the RMS will be published to operate for 12 months ahead, at any point in time. The new RMS schedule can be viewed at:

[inOban]

The requirement is for a minimum of a weekly flight, operating throughout the year, to a recognised international hub airport or to an airport with direct connections to the UK or South Africa. There are a number of potential solutions for regular scheduled air services to and from St Helena.

That looks as if it were written by someone who wants to include Luanda as an option! I'm sure transit visas could be arranged......

[peter we]

Would a transatlantic service with a fuel stop at St. Helena be viable, in the same vein as Icelandic Air?

[Heathrow Harry]

I don't think the operators of Ascension are keen on a lot of commercial activity..................