St. Helena Service
Can you really get valid data for airline Ops froma Military transport designed for short fields and rugged ops and with four mighty turboprops allowing it a lot more flexibility low down than a 73 or A320 surely
The RAF is flying a C 130J from ASI to HLE on Sun. Dec. 18th. for technical assessment.
Too small I would imagine for the 330's that ply the Airbridge, but probably usable for the C130, A400M and maybe C17's that also go that way?
RAF C-130 Hercules@ St. Helena
Report from What The Saints Did Next on the arrival of the Hercules:
http://whatthesaintsdidnext.com/2016...elena-airport/
http://whatthesaintsdidnext.com/2016...elena-airport/
Youtube of Albert landing here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1LguZ83anM
Looks like something else parked on the ramp as Herc taxies in - tail only visible, but looks like a Falcon?
Looks like something else parked on the ramp as Herc taxies in - tail only visible, but looks like a Falcon?
Last edited by Wycombe; 19th Dec 2016 at 16:46.
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VOR/DME approaches promulgated
I see that ATNS South Africa, the AIP provider for St Helena, now has a VOR/DME approach for both Runway 20 and Runway 02. Since the airport opened, these approach plates have been "deliberately blank".
As you might expect, the missed approach point is about 300 feet higher than the LOC/DME approach for Runway 20.
There's the the comment "If CDI exceeds 1/2 FSD on {final approach heading} between IF and MAPt immediately follow missed approach procedure." That implies to me there's not a lot of confidence in the performance of the VOR - perhaps due to things like aircraft on the apron and terrain reflections affecting the signal?
There's just the matter of getting ASSI to approve the Honeywell GBAS satellite augmentation service, then all the expensive navaids bought by DFID will be available.
As you might expect, the missed approach point is about 300 feet higher than the LOC/DME approach for Runway 20.
There's the the comment "If CDI exceeds 1/2 FSD on {final approach heading} between IF and MAPt immediately follow missed approach procedure." That implies to me there's not a lot of confidence in the performance of the VOR - perhaps due to things like aircraft on the apron and terrain reflections affecting the signal?
There's just the matter of getting ASSI to approve the Honeywell GBAS satellite augmentation service, then all the expensive navaids bought by DFID will be available.
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From today's Telegraph letters page;
£285.5 million of taxpayers' money was spent on building an airport in St Helena that is not usable by commercial airlines
SIR – You are quite right to draw attention to the profligate use of taxpayers’ money simply to meet the aid spending target of 0.7 per cent of GDP, set by the last government.
A good example is the construction of an airport on the South Atlantic island of St Helena – a British dependency. The experiences of the Second World War demonstrated that, while it would be physically possible to build such an airfield, it would be operationally dangerous to use. Even Charles Darwin commented on the dangerous updraughts at the point later chosen for the airstrip.
It was also clear that building an airport would lead neither to a significant increase of tourism nor to the possibility that St Helena could be self-sustaining financially.
David Smallman
Governor of St Helena, 1995-99
Blakesley, Northamptonshire
A good example is the construction of an airport on the South Atlantic island of St Helena – a British dependency. The experiences of the Second World War demonstrated that, while it would be physically possible to build such an airfield, it would be operationally dangerous to use. Even Charles Darwin commented on the dangerous updraughts at the point later chosen for the airstrip.
It was also clear that building an airport would lead neither to a significant increase of tourism nor to the possibility that St Helena could be self-sustaining financially.
David Smallman
Governor of St Helena, 1995-99
Blakesley, Northamptonshire
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All this is true but the sad fact is there was no other place to put the airport. The higher interior would have used up farming and living acreage and is frequently obscured by mist and clouds. Re-orienting the runway at the present location would not be possible due to higher terrain under the approach. Without an airport, young people were leaving the island and the population has been decreasing. So long as the UK decides to stay in the South Atlantic this was the only move. If they want to move the 8000 people on St. Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha and The Falklands to the UK and provide them with employment and housing, that would be the cheapest solution.
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It's got nothing to do with the 'UK staying in the South Atlantic'. It has to do with a community for whom Saint is home and to them home cannot be anywhere else but Saint Helena. Building an airport was meant to give them more chance of self sustainability.
The Falkanders voted overwhelmingly to remain connected to the UK. Notwithstanding this fact I can't imagine any of them happy if we just turned up with a boat and said we are shutting them down.
The Falkanders voted overwhelmingly to remain connected to the UK. Notwithstanding this fact I can't imagine any of them happy if we just turned up with a boat and said we are shutting them down.
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How lucky St Helena is to no longer have such a small-minded fool in charge.
The airport may not operate as efficiently as Schipol, and the services to it may not even be as reliable as Barra's.
But it has been demonstrated that it can be flown to, it is already serving a purpose re Medevac, it will serve a purpose for residents and tourists (none if whom will complain even if the average flight delay was 48 hours), and the purpose of whatever our endeavours in the Atlantic currently are is not commercial.
The airport may not operate as efficiently as Schipol, and the services to it may not even be as reliable as Barra's.
But it has been demonstrated that it can be flown to, it is already serving a purpose re Medevac, it will serve a purpose for residents and tourists (none if whom will complain even if the average flight delay was 48 hours), and the purpose of whatever our endeavours in the Atlantic currently are is not commercial.
Last edited by 01475; 23rd Dec 2016 at 22:46.
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All of that is true but when you add in all the costs including Mount Pleasant RAF base, these people are some of the most heavily subsidized per person in the world.
So Maggie was/is responsible for the costs of maintaining Mount Pleasant and not the people of the Falkland Islands.
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They may well be subsidised islanders, but their subsidised airport will soon be a functional one that I am sure will mean they will be fractionally less subsidised islanders.
We as a country presumably have reasons why we wish to keep rocks in the Atlantic under our sphere of influence at a cost, and I am sure they are good ones.
We as a country presumably have reasons why we wish to keep rocks in the Atlantic under our sphere of influence at a cost, and I am sure they are good ones.
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I believe the Falklands are now funded by the income from fishing licenses, and oil exploration licences. I suppose there must be some income to St. Helena from fishing permits, but I don't think the fishing is as rich.
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Very true inOban - I think someone tried to set up a commercial operation in StH but rumoured to have sold up........ TBH the FI has much shallower water around it so better fishing