The Douglas Charles Airport came alive on Wednesday when 22 small aircraft landed on the island as part of the Governor General’s Cup, an international air rally held annually.
A total of 65 people, including 22 pilots, from various parts of Canada and the United States of America landed on Wednesday morning to a welcome reception by the Discover Dominica Authority and other Tourism stakeholders.
President of the Governor General’s Cup, Catherine Tobenas said the event has been ongoing since 2003, across Canada and France, in 2010 it began coming to the Caribbean.
This is the first time the rally has landed in Dominica.
Tobenas explained that while it is not a competition, participants get assessed on their flying knowledge and they must do certain things such as flight evaluation to assist them in reviewing their aviation skills.
“So it’s a great training but the purpose really is to bring the pilots from Canada, from the US to the Caribbean,” she said.
She said islands which are “aviation friendly” were chosen for the event.
“We pick islands that are really aviation friendly because they make great efforts in receiving us. The logistics to receive 24-25 planes is quite big and we had to coordinate parking which actually went very well because the airport management was ready for us,” Tobenas explained. “This is our purpose, to bring more pilots to visit the island because it is a very good clientele for the island.”
Tobenas added that there are many pilots desire to venture further from Florida during the winter months.
“They want to explore the islands,” she said, adding that flying to Dominica was “beautiful” and “the airport is really nice, no traffic, peaceful, it’s perfect for us actually.”
Chairman of the Discover Dominica Authority and CEO of the Dominica Air and Sea Port Authority (DASPA), Benoit Bardouille, said he is extremely pleased to welcome the visitors to the island.
“What we want to do is not only ensure that they bring in their individual air crafts here but also, they going on the island and enjoying what we have to offer,” he stated. “At the same time they are also giving back because they are helping the students to understand clearly what are the things involved in aviation.”
Students from the North East Comprehensive School (NECS) witnessed the event and the school’s principal, Jean Thomas Jeremy, said there are close to 30 students from forms 1-4 who decided that they are interested in pursuing careers in aviation based on a career program that the school hosted last school year.
“We feel very, honored to be part of this activity,” she noted. “For us learning at NECS is not limited to the class room. We always look for opportunities where our students can go outside and experience the real world, and so having the 30 students interact with the pilots today, it’s a very brilliant opportunity to say the least.”
The pilots and those who came on the planes will explore the island until Friday when they leave for Antigua.
Previously they stopped in Martinique.
See some of the aircraft below.
W E L C O M E T O D O M I N I C A!
Enjoy your stay and come again!
Pleased to know that they found the airport quiet and were able to park their planes easily. They will also find that generally Dominicans are friendly and helpful people.
A Canadian (white) told me that a friend of hers visited Dominica with a D/can friend. She said the people are wonderful. Whenever she asked a few of them directions, they were ever willing and friendly. This is what they leave with and take away with them, the welcome and treatment they received from their hosts and hostesses.
Dominicans are hosts and hostesses to visitors. If they had a good experience, rest assured that they will be singing D/ca’s praises. The exposure and advertisement is excellent for Dominica.
When I am asked what country I am from, I am ever so proud to state that I am from Dominica. There are times I have to point out that it is not Dominican Republic and not to be mistaken as such.
This is wonderful and very good news for Dominica. We appreciate your coming to our beautiful gem of the Caribbean. Please enjoy your stay; and come back again.
These are people who obviously have money ( having their own plane) and time to fly around the Caribbean. Lets do our best to put our best foot forward in the hopes that many of our guest will return later on for an extended stay (1-2 weeks).
Some Dominicans are really filled with hate for the country. Just look at the few comments under this article because it is something positive and inspite of it all the few comments here still seek to draw attention to nothing else but the fact that she said “there is no traffic here”.
This a welcome sight. We were picked because there was no traffic at the airport. Great for this particular event and a major concern for the island itself. This is an annual event. Despite their efforts to share aviation stories with our high school students, we definitely need more traffic at Douglas Charles airport.
Saying so doesn’t make one a naysayer. It makes us realistic.
Maybe we can hire them to give LIAT some competition? Lol
Excited to see a Chinese built Nanchang CJ-6A at Melville Hall (basic trainer). As the President of the organizing body remarked the airport was peaceful and there was no traffic. Unfortunately that is the truth, we do not have enough air traffic to even pay for the maintenance cost of the airport. However, we live in eternal hope of improvement. Keep on flying guys and thanks for your visit
Really nice.
It’s funny that he said the airport was perfect because it was quiet with no traffic.
What fun! This is great for Dominica good job.
Great news for our airport “We pick islands that are really aviation friendly because they make great efforts in receiving us. The logistics to receive 24-25 planes is quite big and we had to coordinate parking which actually went very well because the airport management was ready for us,” Tobenas explained.
Also great news for our tourism ““They want to explore the islands,” she said, adding that flying to Dominica was “beautiful” and “the airport is really nice, no traffic, peaceful, it’s perfect for us actually.”
Great for our aspiring Pilots from NE Secondary School “Students from the North East Comprehensive School (NECS) witnessed the event and the school’s principal, Jean Thomas Jeremy, said there are close to 30 students from forms 1-4 who decided that they are interested in pursuing careers in aviation”
I await the NAYSAYERS!!!!!!
Joe, you asked for it. They had no problems parking their planes because there were no other planes to occupy the space. I don’t want anything bad for Dominica, believe me but these are the facts Joe.
Surely we cannot be compared to Heathrow or JFK but we are satisfied with our air traffic control system!!!!
They were told the time when it would have been quiet so they all could land one after the other, get it titiwi?
“the airport is really nice, no traffic, peaceful, it’s perfect for us actually.” <– for the people giving thumbs down, even the very article states this fact