Falklands : Jury Out on BAS Flights from Stanley Airport
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 15.07.2008 (Article Archived on 29.07.2008)
Various changes needed at Stanley Airport are needed if BAS aircraft are to continue flying to and from that aerodrome and that those changes are mandated by Overseas Territories Air regulations (OTAS) which would bring Stanley Airport up to British standard as to what type of airframe could use the facility.
JURY OUT ON BAS FLIGHTS AT STANLEY AIRPORT
By J. Brock (FINN)
Various changes needed at Stanley Airport are needed if BAS aircraft are to continue flying to and from that aerodrome and that those changes are mandated by Overseas Territories Air regulations (OTAS) which would bring Stanley Airport up to British standard as to what type of airframe could use the facility.
H.E. the Governor Mr Huclke told FINN on Friday that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is still in discussion with British Antarctic Survey about an exemption that he can issue that would mean that all classes of BAS aircraft could fly from the Falklands. He could issue the exemption but if anything went wrong it would be his responsibility and that of Mr. Bruce Wilkes, the aerodrome manager.
The Dash-7 needs Category 5 facilities but there are still capital and operating cost implications that FIG were not prepared to cover.
Mr Huckle was adamant that British Antarctic Survey wanted to keep flying from Stanley airport but that the matter was still under discussion. These upgrades, however, would be a major expense for FIG if an exemption was not the way forward.
There were 20 BAS Landings at the Stanley Airport in 2007 and ten of those happened between Christmas and the New Year,” Cllr Summers said. Correspondingly landing fees from BAS had reduced to £10,000.00 per annum and did not justify an expenditure of £500,000.00 Capital Costs and from £90 to £100,000.00 operating costs that FIG would have to incur if BAS were to continue to fly from Stanley.
Councillor Summers in a recent press conference said he didn’t think it was right for the Falkland Islands Government to subsidise BAS operations in the Antarctic. He has a point but so do those who feel that BAS should still fly from Stanley rather than Punta Arenas.
Hopefully the discussions will conclude in a beneficial way for Stanley Airport. If BAS ceases air operations from Stanley Airport we all will be the poorer for it.
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