Gov’t in talks about allowing Twin Otter to use full length of runway

The government is in talks with aviation safety experts about the potential for Twin Otter aircraft to use the full length of the John A Osborne Airport runway for takeoff.

Transportation minister Veronica Dorsette-Hector said that while safety remains a top priority the ministry is committed to addressing Montserrat’s unique economic and operational needs.

She made the remarks during a meeting of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly on 21 January in response to opposition leader Paul Lewis, who asked for an update on the ‘runway end safety area’ (RESA).

A RESA of 30 metres was introduced at the end of the airport’s runway in 2016 following a recommendation from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

This reduced the the length of useable runway from 600m to 570m and meant that the 19-seat turbo-prop Twin Otter aircraft was no longer able to take off within that distance with a full payload.

An 83-page independent report on the viability of various aircraft operating at the airport, shared the same day, said this meant the aircraft cannot operate cost-effectively in Montserrat.

However, in parliament Lewis suggested that the RESA was “only recommended” and asked if the minister had made any representation to have it removed.

Dorsette-Hector responded: “To clarify, the ministry has not made any formal representations to remove the requirement for the runway end safety area at the airport.

“However, we have engaged in discussions with Air Safety Support International (ASSI) and other aviation stakeholders regarding operational adjustments that could enhance the airport’s capacity and economic viability.

“These discussions included the possibility of allowing Twin Otter aircraft to utilise the full length of the runway for takeoff, similar to permission granted at other airports, such as those in the British Virgin Islands.”

She said the “ongoing dialog” with ASSI includes evaluating options for optimising runway operations in accordance with ICAO’s recommendation on RESA, ensuring safety remains a top priority.

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