RAF C130 @ St Helena
 

DFID throwing more money at it to try and persuade everyone that the runway is useable. BA didn't think so, so no holiday jets. Rather limits the return on investment.

Yes it is a compromised field, but it does sound like some of the very recent trials of the RJ-100 and the Embraer 190 went better than the 737-800 that had difficulties. Yes there are wind shear, tailwind and crosswind issues at this airport, but perhaps it is more of picking the right tool for the job. While a 737-800 might make the best sense payload, tourism, freight and profit wise, a heavy 737-800 is perhaps not ideal for a place with a short runway, landing with a tail wind and shear and tail/crosswinds.


Here is a piece on the RJ-100. You can also follow the link the December 2016 E-190 trials.


https://whatthesaintsdidnext.com/201...-on-st-helena/


As for the C-130, makes sense to give it a trial. Better to try out before you really need to for a MEDEVAC or SAR flight.

" BA didn't think so, so no holiday jets"

there ARE other airlines in the world - some with a lot more exeprience of landing at more challenging strips than several square miles of concrete in Middlesex.............

I doubt if the Comair pilots have much experience of landing at Heathrow.

Of course, Harry, BA only ever lands at Heathrow, never anywhere else (GIB, FNC, LCY, SAN in a 747, VOR 13L JFK etc)

So there's an issue with wind shear on one of the runways in certain conditions. Lots of airports have windshear issues; Gib, Funchal, HK. It's disappointing to see coverage so negative, particularly on a mil aviation forum. From the military/strategic stance I'm struggling to see the downside; a usefully-located unsinkable and everlasting carrier for under a tenth the cost of one QE, none of it from defence budget.

"So no holiday jets..." Don't speak too soon. I spend plenty of time landing holiday jets at airports which are less than ideal in one way or another.

Not a great overshoot option!

Both ends look rather sporting!


http://sthelenatourism.com/wp-conten...i-Bruneton.png

The jets flying south from ASI fly a route to the west keeping them in diversion range of a succession of diversion airfields in Brazil and Argentina.

Sorry, thread drift. I would have thought for political reasons the last possible divert flying south would be Montevideo. However, waiting to fly out of ASI last year the aircraft went tech at Brize with no replacement available. Over Christmas. My how I laughed.

I was surprised there was no replacement aircraft available for the airbridge. Then upon it's arrival I noted that it's a civil registered aircraft with nowt but AirTanker slapped on the side.

I mused that there may well have been another jet sitting at Brize, but it would have RAF painted along it. Thereby rendering it presumably undivertable?

Bit silly really

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!

As an occupant of a wobbly King Air I can confirm that St Helena brings some interesting challenges. It makes Funchal and Gib look like Turbulence for Dummies.

There's a rather long thread somewhere else on the forum where I've given a bit more detail. http://www.pprune.org/airlines-airpo...a-service.html

Thanks ORAC for your response. It makes sense to follow the course you have given closer to S. America.