Regional air carrier LIAT could soon begin night operation at the Mellville Hall airport in April.
Civil Aviation Minister Rayburn Blackmoore said the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) has approved the Instrument Procedure Chart which could pave the way for the commencement of scheduled night flight by LIAT.
Management of LIAT has written to Minister Blackmoore giving assurance that once all is in place the schedule night landing will begin in April.
“We got the certification for phase one and we have spoken to the pilots and airmen to both in Dominica and Guadeloupe,” Blackmoore said. “Three weeks ago the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority approved the chart and on March 10, 2011 it will be published in Trinidad because that country controls the Caribbean airspace.”
According to Blackmoore there is a twenty eight day incubation period leading to official night landing.
people look. for any night landing to take place all the mountains need to have red lights so that the planes can keep clear of them unless that is done there can be no night landing if you all who travle even all tall building need this red light to avoid plane from flying into them and the last time i was in da that was not in place and this was for christmas
Fellow Dominicans please be reminded Hon. Blackmoore is a politician and we should know politicians have to strategize to get things to find favor in people sight. It is genuine at times, but for the most part simply bias and unfair. I have been listening and reading statements and comments made by Hon. Blackmoore and I can tell you he is bias and makes statement that are not factual.
In my observation he doesn’t make mention of WINAIR every frequent as he does the other airlines in Dominica. Since December, WINAIR have scheduled night flights route Dominica to St maarten / Tortola and vice versa and as late as 10pm. At present sometimes as late as seven thirty eight. Did you know, WINAIR was the first airline to fly into Dominica in the night followed by liat and who gets all the praises from the Hon. Blackmoore for this historic moment? LIAT.
Let me reliably inform you schedule night landing is ungoing in Dominica since the inuagural night landing in Dominica and thanks to WINAIR. LIAT was able to do it for the inauguration so what is hindering them now? Were they not cognizant of the fact that the Instrument Procedure Chart was not approved by the ECCAA? Or was it just simlpy POLITICS as usual?
My people take note most of the big men who has shares in LIAT owns their hotel in ANTIGUA. You honestly think they would want to remove that bread from their mouths and hand it on a silver platter to Dominicans? Lets hope with all the CARICOM integration and for the sake of this Dominican Gov’t who host the night landing inauguation and keeps saying cominig soon!!! coming soon!!! to most new programs including the restaurant at the airport. Hon. Blackmoore if you know beyond her a doubt that certain things are going to happen without reservation then say it as it is. If you have no actual timeline on something place do not give your people false hope.
I am holding my breath to that day when LIAT night landing looms. For this Govt sake I do hope its soon. Let me end for now by saying hearts off to WINAIR and its agents especially in DOM who aim high in providing substancial customer service to all their valuable customers.
Shut up all of you. We had night landing now for years. All those nights when dem soukouyan dem landing on my roof. Doesn’t that count as night landing?
I’ll land at night, but I’ll do no night landing.
lol
While we continue to await the long anticipated and past- due night landing, STV is planning on opening their International Airport in 2013. I remember when the PM of STV came to Possy to try to convince us that we could afford an International Airport; but today they are jumping on one while we patiently await our night landing. Shame on us Dominican’s. We allow all PM’s from the caribbean to help us stay behind while they take steps to move on and have our people to leave DA and move to their islands to earn a living. Antigua’s PM did that to us during the 2000 campaign when Mr. came down on helicopter to tell us that we could not afford an International Airport. Bon Dier yo ka we nou too patou.
night land after i come down papa…
AT ONE TIME DOMINICA WAS THE MOST DEVELOPED ISLAND IN THE WINDWARD ISLANDS. TODAY ALL OF THESE ISLANDS HAVE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS!!
WHERE AND WHEN HAVE WE IN DOMINICA GONE BACKWARDS???
LEADERS WITHOUT VISION????? SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US THEN??
Remind me when that was again? Must have been in Columbus’ time. Anyway, some people will make up any story to make a point eh!
When the inevitable happens, we will start talking all overv again about an international airport at Woodford hill.
God bless poor DA
I will keep paying Hotels in BB and come home next day, untill there is an international Airport thank you.I am not telling any one what to but who wants to land at night good for them.
As for me and the hotels my guess is we will be tight.
Some Dominicans really need to get exposure out there. so negative. Travel , go places and you will see and learn. for night landing to occur there must be procedures to follow, safety procedures. its not made in a day. I have seen wost airports in the caribbean and in the world. nothing is wrong with our airport. i have seen a bit upgrade. to my opinion it could have been longer, there is alot of flat land going towards the mountain, a little more extension and we have a perfect airport, which could accomodate international flights. If the night landing is on teh way let us be positive about it and pray that every thing goes well. THINK POSITIVE AND POSITIVE THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
Dear President,
Are you suggesting that WINAIR is landing at the Airport with no consideration to safety? By the way, have you Mr/Ms President heard that WINAIR is already planning to quit?
Have you heard the news in St. Vincent?
Know how you talk.
No i am not saying that but thank for the heads up. what i understood was that they were undergoing some financial crisis , if any other i would have to research that, are there any other reason why they are planning to quit? What i am saying is that things like that takes time. however i just wish that sometimes the ministers keep quiet on certain development and get the facts before they start broadcasting, and trying to get political points.
Guys guys dont be quick to critisize…DNO is just giving the updates on the situation…and it should be good news for us to know we are ONE STEP CLOSER to our night landing. I understand they are building an airport somewhere in portsmouth area. They maybe should have built it somewhere around the airport instead. Its good to have night landing but when someone has to over night in the country do they have to take a taxi and go out of marigot to find a guest house or hotel? Its good news with the night landing, now they need to think of accommodations in the area.
Again!! how many times they say they going to do night landing? over a year now right?
and still no night landing mr mp stop your lies its not happening and you know that..
since 1962, I have been hearing about plans for another airport in Woodfordhill. Up to now! there has been so much talk about airport from the supposed elite and educated past government peopl. Nothing has materialized so far. now someone is trying to make some serious changes to improve the airport and travelling, some johnny come lately who know nothing about Dominica’s past politics have to make silly comments. Anyway, my husband was travelling in december, his flight was late and if it was not for night landing, he would have had to overnight in Antigua. He was so excited that he could sleep home and not in Antigua. Keep up the good works Mr Skerrit. He still can’t stop talking about it.
Some of us do know about past politics and, more importantly about past history. Very odd that you remember plans for another airport at Woodford Hill since 1962 considering that the current one at Melville Hall, did not start construction till 1958 and did not open for traffic till Nov. 1961. The site at Melville Hall was chosen because no other suitable flat land could be found and the facilities at Melville Hall were quite adequate for the aircraft first scheduled service at the time (BWIA using a DC-3 if my memory serves me right).The Wood ford Hill option did not come into play until much later.
|I’m glad your husband was able to make his connection after dark. Quite a few of us have benefited from that, since light were installed and when LIAT flights arrived with delay but this is no substitute for scheduled night services.
The landing itself is not a problem, as long as the visibility and the weather are correct.
The problem arises when the landing has to be aborted ( for any reason) AFTER the decision altitude, i.e at low altitude, almost on the runway
Why is it very dangerous then ?
because night landing has to be performed the opposite way ( i.e coming from the sea : runway 27 )
you all can imagine what it means if the landing has to be aborted at the last moment : flying towards those mountains in full darkness and at low altitude !!
the other issue is the wind , coming from behind ( instead of front ), i.e opposite to normal safety rules.
think twice !
How can true patriotic Dominicans have so many negative statements to make against a move which if implemented can have a very positive impact on the development of Dominica?
Is it because that we do not support the Government of the day that was instumental in having night landing become a reality?
If that is the way that we rationalize about issues, we are doomed to remain in a backward state.
We need to put DA first and keep our negative and selfish political views for the political platform.
You hit the nail on the head
night landing? i dont know for you, but not me by night.
would we rather a disaster or just agree it can,t happen? why force a point just to say we did it on our watch, only brainless Dominicans will believe this blackmore one failure will look better on your resume than 35 people blood on your hand my brother ROME WAS NEVER BUILT IN A DAY, everything is happening for a reason GOD knows best. we know you want your name on that airport but ALAS NITE LANDING NOT FOR MELVILLEHALL.
I commend you my sensible fellow Dominican, you have made the most important comment and crucial analysis that i have seen in the forum so far. Making mistakes is human but not being able to admit it is just ignorant, we should admit that wasting so many million on that airport was wrong instead of putting our own people lives in danger to protect our pride
I think you need to travel :D
Mr. Blackmoore, the word sooooon becomes a rubber band now. Don’t stretch it too long.
Just give Dominicans a surprise.
I landed in DA with Winair at 645 PM December 30th, 2010. Pitch black! No big deal. Let’s open that airport 24 hours a day and get people home!
all who making noise about international
airport doesnt even travel on bus much less plane. when we wants to come home ,although we are in the caribbean it takes us all day’.what is the cost of an international airport will this investment worth it.will dominicans have to sell water to pay for the airport .is dominica the most mountainous island in the world.lets thank god for what we have.we are blessed
mountains do not prevent a plane from landing,with the suffisticated instruments that are put into these aircrafts that is the least of problem to worry about,your afraid of flying,guess many of you have not done a lot of travelling in the past.but for this night landing when i do experience it thats when i will believe it
idiot. in the event of a missed approach (abort) from rwy 27 you will see the significance of the mountain clearance. stop thinking that you are smart with all your instruments hoo rah
L’espoir mal papay!!!
wait wait wait wait….NOT AGAAIIIIN with this night landing….hahahahaha…
who are these people trying to foooool AGAIIIIN?!
A step forward is a step forward. Some people who knows nothing about aviation and aviation safety just keep on braa-ing in the comments. Educate yourself before you speak.
An international airport is an airport typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle international flights to and from other countries. Such airports are usually larger, and often feature longer runways and facilities to accommodate the large aircraft commonly used for international or intercontinental travel. International airports often host domestic flights (flights which occur within the country) in addition to international flights. In many smaller countries most airports are international airports, so the concept of an “international airport” has little meaning. In certain countries however, there is a sub-category of limited international airports which handle international flights, but are limited to short-haul destinations (often due to geographical factors) or are mixed civilian/military airports.
I understand the importance of this to Dominica, but I will not be landing in Melville Hall at night. There are too many mountains. When we enter the hurricane season and rains begin to fall with poor visibility, a disaster is in the making.
What happened to idea of realigning the runway at Melville Hall? Guess it’s gone with the wind. The surrounding mountains in the area are unforgiving. One mistake and we have a tragedy on our hands.
Whether it is hurricane season or not? Bad weather means flight canceled. So if an airplane is attempting to land at night and the weather is not favorable the pilot has to abort anyway.
My beloved country, habitat of the benighted…
that is wonderful news liat now lets get the ball rolling because this is a good thing to happen for Dominica
Liat how u going and do night landing and you laying off your employees in dominica? i wonder who will meet the airplane when it comes at night? O may be Blackmore himself?..lol I doh care if they take the sun and put it on top of d mountain…O and when d night landing start i want to see how many of the people writing on DNO will actually travel to dominica now..some of all you sitting right there in antigua for 20 years and all you never even come back home….yea go visit all you country
Oh shut up empty barel
closing its city office idiot not its operations in dominica. learn to understand what you read…
why is it in Dominica to disagree with someone you have to call them stupid and put them down, dont people have differences of openion understanding that there may be some merit to eachother’s reasoning, or that I may be more educated in some particular area or field so let me try to educate my brother, you all boast of the beauty of the island, until the people understand to get along and respect eachother, all that water and clean air will continue to go to waste.
Get facts before writing a comment.
Night landing with no hotel nor an equipped hospital in the area. Compliments to the government and its people.
Poor Planning my friend, just poor planning.
If I am to believe the Minister and LIAT then I will wait until April hope that the goal post is not moved again
BAH BAH BLACKMORE HAVE YOU ANY WOOL , YES SIR YES SIR , THREE BAGS. FOOL
JAH! Dominicans have kix.
LOLLLLLLLLLLL……BOY… yall FUUUUUNNNNYYY
happy to report now that everything is in place,liat will land at nights in dominica….how ever they might not have a scheduled night flight just yet but if for some reason one of the afternoon flight is running late it will be able to land hence no more overnights at antigua……there has to be a demand for liat to have a regular scheduled night flight
That’s a great point! In the end, increased demand for the Dominican travel market, will determine whether or not LIAT will land at night.
DOMINICA TRAVEL MARKET? PLEASE AFTER INTRODUCING A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS TO DOMINICA, THEY VISITED AND CAME BACK WITH A VERY DISTURBING REPORT, THEY FOUND THAT DOMINICA IS NOT READY FOR A SERIOUS TOURIST MARKET, OUR PEOPLE ARE NOT TOURIST TRAINED AND HAVE NO MANNERS , THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY, SERVICES ARE VERY POOR, AND OUR NATURE ISLAND IS VERY FILTHY AND IN NEED OF SERIOUS OVER HAULING , TO MENTION THEY SPENT 5 DAY AND WILL NOT RETURN THEY RATHER ST LUCIA BETTER, MR IAN DOUGLAS PORTSMOUTH GOT THE WORST RATING. THEY WERE EUROPEAN TOURIST
I am in full support of you LAVINA BRAMMS. Despite all the TALK, nothing gets done to enhance the quality of our tourism product. Young Bull has it all well said. Only B….S….. in my land!
It stop coming now it looms. lol woye
blackmore should remain quiet. when it happens please let us know.
Blackmore, DLP and there empty promises — Waste of GOD given time. Evry time those guys talk they make my bowels flow…..laxative to the brain, stomarch and God knows where else. They are a damn DISGRACE to Dominica!!
well tired waste yur stupid time and read their articles nuh
now time for American airlines to follow suit they charging people an arm and a leg…. BIG TEEF
I do not mean to sound negative but seriously, this is totally rediculous. Tell me, with all these mountains in Dominica, don’t u all think this is a safetly issue? I am sorry but Mr Black needs to find constructive things to do in the country. Why night landing? Is there an international airport in da? If the eagle refused to fly to Dominica in the evening, Why Liat considered doing it. First, Liat had safety issues now they decided to do it . Well I may sound insensitive but as long as my family in Dominica doesn’t take their good senses and fly in night to or from dominica i will be fine. I know our country needs developement. Many times, Eagle had to turn back to Puerto Rico because of bad weather. What happens in the evening when it begins to rain. IT IS NIGHT TIME PEOPLE. RAYBURN ARE U SENDING PEOPLE AND KILL THEMSELVES OR THIS IS JUST AN ESCAPE ROUTE WHEN BORBALL GO ON FOR ALL U TO FLEE!
American Eagle is not God’s gift to Melville Hall. So if they refuse to land and one wants to get to Dominica by night by all means all they have to do is make their connections to include Antigua or Barbados, or St. Lucia then to Dominica.
Anyway, soon and very soon we will be having direct flights from Ft. Lauderdale Airport in Florida to Dominica by a different Airline. As long as there are opportunities in the aviation world capital will always gravitate to fulfill a need at a reasonable return. The aviation world always have planes for lease and there are consortiums always willing to finance. Thus a few Dominican businessmen with some Americans can make a pitch and open an Airline Service to serve Dominica and at least three other Destinations at a reasonable return on their investment. As long as demand remains consistent these same businessmen can raise the necessary funds to construct an International Airport and Hotel Accommodation and operate these ventures for at least 25 years and later transfer to the Government and People of Dominica at no charge to the Tax Payers of the Country.
And here goes the Charles Saveren/Blackmore plans for Dominica
Is this a dream you had? you started out as a factual account of something that is about to happen, then you ended with something that is a possibility, which is it? The smallest plane to fly from ft.lauderdale to Dominica nad be profitable is a 727, something like that can only be done at special cooasions like carnival and creole festival, and oh yes…. elections, but those are events, we need a process by which it is safe to fly into Dominica without the worry of the safty of the flights….. and for the person who says American Eagle is not God’s gift to Dominica, the fact is the governing body the FAA, controls a whole lot more lights in a whole lot more various terrains, and if they decide the situation in Dominica is not conducive to night landing, I surely would listen to them. we may prove them wrong but thing about the cost, if they are right.
well malpadeee it seems you can’t comprehend what liats issues were why they chose not to land at nights…there had to be an approach and miss approach procedures chat and it had to be published that any pilot anywhere in the world who wishes to fly to dominica could go online and get the approach plates..remember i keep telling you guys that liat was not gonna land until that was done even when blackmore kept bluffing that all liats concerns were met..
shut up…….international airport ppl need stop being naive
You have Investors lined up like Pappy man!!!
lol
27 MILLION CAN GO A LONG WAY,
Hill Que you doh see the artist impression of the new State House? Man dat want to look similar to d White house in Washington DC boss.
You know we making plenty noise about d State House but I suspect it will be a blessing in disguise when it is constructed.
I can bet you is then we will begin to see a lot more worthy sons and daughters of Dominica wanting to go into Public Life to both serve and enjoy the status symbols of power that Dominica will be able to afford them
It is going to happen just be patient people.
patience i believe we have.. if one set of ppl got patience its dominicans ….but its one thing to have PATIENCE and another to have TOLERANCE for all the lies and exhaggeration we got from these men concerning night landing…i mean it nt gnna happen as soon as we think…dont LIE and tell us it will wen it WONT! you self…if u were to be patient for everything that government promise u …jesus will come back and take all his ppl n leave u der still being ‘patient’
You need to stop being negative
this isnt being nagative silly….this is about accepting reality n not being so naiive
yawn
Me self tired hear it coming
i agree with you
that would be a good move liat….. thumbs up
we will see