Ascension Island

[cambioso]

Hi Guys,
have to route through Ascension later in the year....
Is it just a "pit-stop" place or is it feasable and (maybe) interesting to nightstop there?
Are the handlers ok, fuel readily available, etc etc?
I'm sure some-one knows!!!
Thanks in anticipation,
JC

[Cathar]

Wideawake Airfield is operated by the US military and my understanding is that civil use is very restricted. There was an agreement between the UK and US in 2003, which permitted up to four non-scheduled civil aircraft movements (take-off or landing) per week. I believe that this agreement was aimed permitting tourist charter flights to service the island. Are you sure that they allow "pit stops"?

See www.ascension-island.gov.ac for info on visiting the island

[enicalyth]

I was born a Dutch West Indian and bred a Saint so you are reminding me about home before I emigrated.

Absolutely one hundred percent nil casual flying visitors. PPR only and that is for UK MoD charters, USAF equivalent and visiting military aircraft such as Luftwaffe Tornadoes, SAAF tankers, USAF and RAF. Up to 20 seats on RAF flights may be available if permission is granted to visit by the Island Administration.

Ascension is unique inasmuch as it has no indigenous people or right of abode. The only people on the island are under contract to one or other of the military, security services, BBC or Cable & Wireless. Crime is not tolerated and offenders are deported with loss of job, pension etc and the last two geezers who thought they could just mosey in for fuel and a meal found themselves guests of Her Majesty very quickly!

Having said that it is a very much fun place to be because of a sense of belonging. But there is no throbbing nightlife. In Georgetown we have the Saints' Club but all are welcome. Thank God the "Exiles" is closed. It was whites only right up to the eighties. Also there is the Obsidian Guesthouse. A bit Ye Olde Englishe Pubbe with ships lanterns, spoked wheels but good crack for all that.

Okay, party time? Not really. We just relax, play skittles, shoot the breeze and waltz, yes waltz to Country and Western music! Funniest thing you'll ever see. Dad in pork pie hat, dogtooth jacket, shirt open at the neck; mum in floral frock, pearls, carmen miranda hat waltzing to San Quentin I hate every inch of you. Then at nine they'll toddle home arm in arm and the kids will bop. Politely.

If you are visiting civil aircrew you'll be at the Obsidian. If military it is Cat Hill for the US and Traveller's Hill for the rest.

The US Base is Little America, all burgers, obesity and lousy beer for $1 a stubby or £1 if you forgot greenbacks. People rave about a Volcan Club T-bone steak but they are not what they used to be.

Up at Travellers the Mountain View Club is very pleasant of an evening but the food is even worse. I like two Boats Club which gets a very good mix and the pool at lunchtime or four o'clock is ideal.

Best food is the contractors' Junior Mess. Get someone to sign you in as a guest if you can. Great Grub!

So no nightclubs, no taxis, no buses because everyone is a contractor and has a job. And the police are hot on drink drive. Wild donkeys wander about, the same colour as the roads and cinders and pixxed up drivers kill themselves so d+d is vigorously stamped upon. Speed Limits are 20mph in town and 40mph outside because the tarmac is thinner than a tinker's blanket. Outside of built up areas are two street lights, one mercury vapour, one sodium so you can't get lost!! In my day the police threw offender's car keys off the pierhead but in these days of PACE they keep the keys and throw the offender to the sharks instead. The chiller in the morgue is very temperamental you see.

No seriously. What do we do? Fish. Walk. Saints are a chubby people but we love to walk and talk. Many Expats bash the peaks but I'd advise you to be walking before sunup and taking tea at "Reflections" by 1130 having done something like Broken Tooth, Mountain Red Hill, Sisters. These take about 2hrs return if you are fit except the last which you can do there and back in just over an hour. If you are expat multiply these times by three!

The USAF control the tower and runway. Forget this tosh about four civil slots. It has not been ratified. It is just so much hot air and lip service. Unless you have PPR from Pope AFB and to have that you must have a thoroughly good reason. Calling up on the radio won't do. They'll just impound your plane and chuck you in the slammer because they can, will, do and have done. Oh yes, the RAF do the pan. And if you have PPR they will efficiently fuel up your aircraft. Otherwise it'll just sit there for a very looooooong time.

Navaids are ASI VORTAC, ASN NDB. Very good Ops with excellent HF flightwatch, all published frequencies manned and not what it says in the yellow book. I know these guys personally. Daft Jocks and stupid female cat called Bergkamp of all things. 10,000ft runway wind perennially 15 kts ESE, socking great upslope, socking great hump, socking great Green Mountain blocking out clumps of said VORTAC.

So unless you are officially chartered to UK MoD or US DoD the answer is no. They have better things to do with their fuel shipped in at great expense at long intervals. The island is very military with sensitive civil and grey area comms with no indigenous people and only short term contractors aboard.

Sounds unwelcoming? Actually once there and you've got used to scenery like an iron foundry gone mad it is very pleasant with honest, gentle folk and Expats that would give screaming nuthouses a bad name.

In short I could just go a slab of Castle, wahoo steak and chicken peri peri right now where every day is Xmas Eve 1956. Oh and there are no venomous snakes on ASI, the deadly spiders did for them years ago.

Best of Luck, lordy I've seldom seen a radalt climb as fast!!

The "E"

[cambioso]

WOW!!!!
I take it that the answer's no then?
Now how am I going to get back to Antigua from Capetown???!!
Thanks anyway "E" for all your time....
J

[Celestar]

We use time to time Ascuncion as an enroute driftdown airport but never could scheduled it as fuel stop.

[formulav]

I have operated in and out of Asencion since 1996. Highly doubt you will be able to pit stop there. one must remember the reason for its existence!!!!!!!!!:)