View Full Version : St Helena closed except Medevacs 2/10/2018
Understand St Helena Government has pulled current operating contract and consequently airport is effectively closed save for Medevacs
apparently hope is being raised for the regular flight this coming Saturday October 6th
atakacs
2nd Oct 2018, 21:51
Oops
Amy obvious reason!?
pattern_is_full
2nd Oct 2018, 22:20
News « St Helena (http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/category/news/)
Summary: Operator (Basil Read Ltd.) has financial problems. Ongoing contract renegotiation with St. Helena Govt. (airport owner) failed, thus contract dissolved. Without contracted operator, ASSI (branch of UK CAA) pulled aerodrome certification - for the moment.
Understand today’s flight cancelled due Wx
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
atakacs
7th Oct 2018, 23:26
News « St Helena (http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/category/news/)
Summary: Operator (Basil Read Ltd.) has financial problems. Ongoing contract renegotiation with St. Helena Govt. (airport owner) failed, thus contract dissolved. Without contracted operator, ASSI (branch of UK CAA) pulled aerodrome certification - for the moment.
how complicated / expensive can one weekly rotation and the odd medevac be?
how complicated / expensive can one weekly rotation and the odd medevac be?
Anyone who followed the construction of this airport will be aware that the terminal in size and fitout would be the envy of quite a few regional airports around the world. Whereas one might think that a few Portakabins would have sufficed, I believe it's the largest building on the island, with staffing to match.
stilton
8th Oct 2018, 04:01
From what I understand this airport
has continual very significant wind
shear issues
Severe enough that they are rethinking
scheduled service
Kerosene Kraut
8th Oct 2018, 08:06
Who selected the site and who payed for it?
atakacs
8th Oct 2018, 08:10
Who selected the site and who payed for it?
there is ample and comprehensive discussion of that matter in past theads. Really no need to revisit IMHO.
Kerosene Kraut
8th Oct 2018, 08:22
My point is this seems to be no place for some regular commercial airport. Wiki suggests strategic interests (Falklands) might have played a role. How viable can regular operations and some airport business case be down there?
rog747
8th Oct 2018, 09:36
My point is this seems to be no place for some regular commercial airport. Wiki suggests strategic interests (Falklands) might have played a role. How viable can regular operations and some airport business case be down there?
The idea was to promote high end tourism seen with flights from both the UK/EU, and from South Africa (such as add-ons from holidays taken in CPT) plus operate a regular scheduled/mail/freight flight from RSA to replace the RMS mail ship which needed replacing sooner or later.
A start up airline Atlantic Star Airways was setting up a series of scheduled services from LGW using an AMS based TUI 737-800 with a reduced payload and some premium seating with a tech stop at Banjul planned. Marketing and ticket sales were commenced.
BA/comair ordered a new 737-800 with scimitars to operate planned services twice a week from both CPT and JNB and flew the first big jet test flights into St helena.
These flights as we know saw Comair find the 738 was now unsuitable for the weather/wind conditions found at the new airport against their own SOP's with it's runway as built.
Seems the saga is continuing....I have not heard that the Falklands or even Ascension have played any part in the airports opening problems.
except that wideawake cannot be used for commercial flight alternates
captbod
8th Oct 2018, 14:32
Bugger.....there goes my dream of spending all day laying on the beach at English Bay flying a nice little turboprop/ regional jet between ASI-HLE once a week.😭
enicalyth
8th Oct 2018, 23:01
well captainbod
yup basil read has folded the tent and crept silently to rest.
but with the obsidian gone, car hire gone, petrol gone, filling station gone it might get kinda lonely on asi. it is too late for me but not for you. dream on!!
these months past lack of range and low mist is not helping
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/448x336/hickaplicter_small_8603f844c82410802c412aad7bdd30da1c93fc11. jpg
Just to put the above into plain language (!) Basil Read, the contractors/operators for the airport, have indeed gone into the South African equivalent of Administration/Chapter 11, known as Business Rescue. Their website now bears the branding of the Administrators
BUSINESS RESCUE OF BASIL READ LIMITED - Matuson & Associates (http://matusonassociates.co.za/basilread/)
They had been the key business and employer on the island throughout the airport construction and their subsequent operation of it. They were also its principal user, they had a Falcon business jet which often seemed to be in and out with personnel and materials. With them having gone under, the island administration (and the UK government who funded the airport and who were determined not to let a mainstream UK contractor have the job) areoing to have to think quickly what to do.
cats_five
9th Oct 2018, 08:14
Is RMS St Helena still serviceable?
rog747
9th Oct 2018, 08:45
Is RMS St Helena still serviceable?
No her last line voyage was Feb 2018
she has been sold as an expedition ship I think to MNG
St Helena has drafted in another vessel The MV Helena to operate cargo trips - not sure if she takes pax, don't think so?
caiman27
9th Oct 2018, 10:17
No her last line voyage was Feb 2018
she has been sold as an expedition ship I think to MNG
St Helena has drafted in another vessel The MV Helena to operate cargo trips - not sure if she takes pax, don't think so?
The former RMS St Helena is now the MNG Tahiti, a Vessel Based Armoury, working in the Gulf of Oman in the anti-piracy business.
Alan Baker
9th Oct 2018, 10:49
No her last line voyage was Feb 2018
she has been sold as an expedition ship I think to MNG
St Helena has drafted in another vessel The MV Helena to operate cargo trips - not sure if she takes pax, don't think so?
The cargo ship has a few passenger berths as there will always be people who can't or won't fly.
upsanddowns
9th Oct 2018, 10:58
Looks like they were fairly well prepared for the inevitable collapse of BR. Airport reopened as of 5th October. Credit where it's due I say.
"St Helena Government (SHG) is pleased to inform that confirmation has been received from the Airport Regulator, Air Safety Support International (ASSI), that the Aerodrome Certificate and approvals for St Helena Airport have been issued to St Helena Airport Ltd (SHAL).
SHG is also pleased to advise that all staff previously engaged at the St Helena Airport have taken up positions with SHAL. The team is highly qualified and experienced and their support to the ongoing operation of the St Helena Airport is very much appreciated. Of particular note is the appointment of Ms Gwyneth Howell as Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager of SHAL. Our congratulations to Gwyneth on her appointment.
Finally, SHG has been advised by our insurance providers that all necessary insurances are in place. SHG is therefore pleased to announce that St Helena Airport has recommenced operations as normal with effect from today, 5 October 2018.
SHG
5 October 2018"
Coochycool
11th Oct 2018, 07:29
So who is flying what then?
Airport reopen does not equate to normal ops.
Cooch
rog747
11th Oct 2018, 07:53
assume SA airlink will resume their JNB-WND (fuel only no traffic rights to pick up at WND) -HLE
They also have some Xmas and NY seasonal flights to ASI scheduled as well
www.flyairlink.com/additional-flights (https://www.pprune.org/www.flyairlink.com/additional-flights)
Planned flights from CPT bit the dust because the Namibian Govt refused to allow them to use WND
As for atlantic Star airlines flights from/to the UK
Thank you to all of you who took the time to fill in the Christmas 2018 Flights survey and who showed your support for our enterprise - it is very much appreciated.
The results of the survey showed us that while there is a good level of interest in the flights for the UK to St.Helena return route, there is a much lower level of interest for the St.Helena to UK return route.
This differential in demand makes it difficult for Atlantic Star to deliver a commercially viable charter programme in 2018 as the northbound originating flight would be nearly empty which would result in a substantial increase in the price of the southbound tickets.
It is with a very heavy heart that we have therefore decided that Atlantic Star will not be launching a Christmas charter flight programme for 2018.
We will, however, revisit the opportunity to connect St.Helena direct to the UK when the market conditions are right to do so and a commercially viable service can be achieved.
We're sorry that we can't bring you more exciting news at this time, and thank you again for your ongoing support.
Rich, Aiden and Andrew
Directors, Atlantic Star
rog747
11th Oct 2018, 07:57
The cargo ship has a few passenger berths as there will always be people who can't or won't fly.
From the shipping Co.
The MV Helena is a dedicated cargo ship and as such, the opportunities to carry any passengers without making major modifications to the ship are limited. At present, the demand for passenger berths has not been demonstrated. AWSM will be converting one cabin to provide four berths equivalent to a C-Deck cabin on board the old RMS. Any further cabin capacity will be considered based on demand. If you are interested in passenger berths on board the MV Helena please contact us.
atakacs
11th Oct 2018, 08:32
Hmm does that mean that there is at the moment no way to travel in and out St Helena!?
gehenna
11th Oct 2018, 08:47
Yet another waste of British tax-payer money, on a useless project.
Who in their right mind would want to go to this place, and who thought that a commercial air operation could succeed when the airfield is plagued by weather problems.
Fools ...........
Jetscream 32
11th Oct 2018, 08:51
The issue was sorted within 48 hours and the airport is open and only closed at weekends - apart from medevac - the original operator banged out - ands the govts own handling co was set up with the same people and issued a licence within 48 hrs - old news nothing changed and schedule remains - move along...!
bront
11th Oct 2018, 09:05
Yet another waste of British tax-payer money, on a useless project.
Who in their right mind would want to go to this place, and who thought that a commercial air operation could succeed when the airfield is plagued by weather problems.
Fools ...........
Spoken by someone with absolutely no idea.
St Helena is an amazing place. It is beautiful and the people are some of the friendliest I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
ShotOne
11th Oct 2018, 09:18
"Waste of taxpayers money..etc..". Considering this is a rumour site for professional pilots and considering the wide choice of huge government money-wasting projects we have to compare it with, this airport comes out pretty well. Sure, geography, topography and economics together make the project bloody difficult -but potentially a game-changer for the local economy and the people there.
Widger
11th Oct 2018, 09:41
Yet another waste of British tax-payer money, on a useless project.
Who in their right mind would want to go to this place, and who thought that a commercial air operation could succeed when the airfield is plagued by weather problems.
Fools ...........
All those little rocks around the world are far more valuable to the British taxpayer than you give them credit for.
Biodiversity in the overseas territories is globally significant. There are many examples: Ascension Island (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Island) supports the second largest green turtle rookery in the Atlantic; Gough Island (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Island), near Tristan da Cunha, is one of the most important seabird islands in the world; and the Great Chagos Bank (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Chagos_Bank) is the world's largest coral atoll. Over 75 per cent of the globally threatened species for which the United Kingdom is responsible are located on these small islands, which hold more bird species under threat of extinction than the entire European continent.
and so you dont think I am some greenie, they are also the centre of huge Mineral and Fishing rights not to mention strategic deep water ports and airstrips.
pettinger93
11th Oct 2018, 10:22
Despite the criticism and carping, this an example of the UK Government actually looking after the interests of its people. The economic and social benefits to the island population will be huge, and the cost of the airport (and the new dock) has to be set against the saving of the millions of pounds that would have had to be spent on replacing the ageing RMS ST HELENA and subsidising her replacement for decades. The strategic aspects of a mid-atlantic base cannot be discounted either.
The issue was sorted within 48 hours and the airport is open and only closed at weekends - apart from medevac - the original operator banged out - ands the govts own handling co was set up with the same people and issued a licence within 48 hrs - old news nothing changed and schedule remains - move along...!
As the only once-weekly flight, on SAA from Jo'burg, operates on ... Saturdays, being "only closed at weekends" still seems odd.
Jetscream 32
11th Oct 2018, 13:59
apologies - I was summarising this notice Opening Times of St Helena Airport (http://sthelenaairport.com/at-the-airport/opening-times/)
- closed Sunday Monday mainly - its open on Sat for the weekly flight with no changes...
Coochycool
12th Oct 2018, 01:57
Gehenna
You seem to have overlooked the rather salient fact that the islanders are as British as you and I, with right of abode in Blighty should they wish.
Indeed many Saints do, and also help shore up the economies of Ascension and the Falkands.
The airport was an investment not borne out of luxury but indeed as a step to promote eventual self sufficiency. The weekly shuttle will now facilitate cargo such as the prized local crayfish catch. And tourism can only grow, now that the pricey time consuming sea journey is no more.
One-way travel time of 5.5 days, with regularly not so much as a seabird let alone other shipping to interrupt the monotony. If you're on island and need serious medical treatment, the airport is a boon whatever the weather restrictions.
And yes, its a lovely place.
Cooch
RickNRoll
12th Oct 2018, 08:02
apologies - I was summarising this notice Opening Times of St Helena Airport (http://sthelenaairport.com/at-the-airport/opening-times/)
- closed Sunday Monday mainly - its open on Sat for the weekly flight with no changes...
It's open Tuesday to Saturday, fully staffed, for one flight on one day?
It's open Tuesday to Saturday, fully staffed, for one flight on one day?
And have you seen the car parking provision ? ...
Parking at St Helena Airport (http://sthelenaairport.com/at-the-airport/parking/)
This on an island with a couple of thousand cars in total, generally old secondhand ones from Cape Town. Everywhere else they just park on the gravel.
rog747
12th Oct 2018, 10:43
This morning the former RMS ST HELENA arrived in Gibraltar to take bunkers. You will recall she served the British Overseas Territory of St Helena and Ascension from Capetown and occasionally from the UK. When St Helena's new airport became operational, the vessel became surplus to requirements and was retired earlier this year. In April she was sold to MNG Maritime and renamed MNG TAHITI to serve as a 'vessel based armoury' in the Middle East. After three months, this project appears to have been abandoned and the ship has once again been sold on.
The new buyer has renamed her ST HELENA and she is on her way back to Portland, Dorset. It appears she will then undergo a two year refit to become a private yacht.
Widger
12th Oct 2018, 11:44
Suspect that Gehenna is winding us up.
Someone who has spent most of this century working in a low tax country as an Dubai expat commenting on how UK taxpayers spend their money....Hmmmmmmm indeed.
Four Turbo
12th Oct 2018, 12:51
And have you seen the car parking provision ? ...
Parking at St Helena Airport (http://sthelenaairport.com/at-the-airport/parking/)
This on an island with a couple of thousand cars in total, generally old secondhand ones from Cape Town. Everywhere else they just park on the gravel.
Why not use the airport 'OVERFLOW CAR PARK' !
glad rag
12th Oct 2018, 15:39
For those of you who think that it was money well spent for the locals, great. What do they do for the British economy? Probably less than we do for them by a mile. It is time to look after citizens here in the England and close to our shores. We are very good at looking after anyone who can play the system, and that includes many illegal immigrants and 'legal' immigrants here.
I await the missives from the righteous.
Y'see, despite being a ginge, sweaty, weegie, jock, [and all the other unprintables that a small but vocal minority [##] of the the English label us Scots with], unlike this poster, I understand and appreciate the true meaning of loyalty.
[##] Yes we have this issue in Scotland to.
harrryw
13th Oct 2018, 01:50
And have you seen the car parking provision ? ...
Parking at St Helena Airport (http://sthelenaairport.com/at-the-airport/parking/)
This on an island with a couple of thousand cars in total, generally old secondhand ones from Cape Town. Everywhere else they just park on the gravel.
Good thing it is not in Australia. They would charge more for the parking than the flight. Free parking.....only the old can remember that.
Today's flight is the once-monthly extension to Ascension Island, returning tomorrow, and appears quite nicely detailed on the FlightRadar site map.
Notable also is the sheer number of ME3 flights in the area heading from The Gulf to South America. There wer around 6 at one stage. I guess they overfly the island from time to time.