The Runway Extension Project of the Melville Hall Airport is expected to be completed in March so night landing services can commence on island.
At the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony on January 04 at the Windsor Park Stadium, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced that night landing services would be ready in “a matter of weeks.”
However, at a press conference this afternoon the prime minister explained that there had been delays due to contractual issues. He said the project will possibly be handed over in March for commencement of night landing.
Discussions are also being held with American Airlines and LIAT officials regarding the service, according to PM Skerrit, who added “and now we confirm that a 737 can land in Dominica with no difficulties. This happened in December, I was advised. I didn’t see it myself.”
“We’re on target… of course there were some delays obviously for some other issues – contractual issues – but we on target. We’re pushing work, work is ongoing. Some of the lighting infrastructure is in place already,” he said, in response to a question from a Dominica News Online reporter.
Meanwhile, DNO understands that work is still being done on the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) of Runway 27. The airstrip is being leveled and ramp lights are being added to it, a source close to airport operations revealed.
Prime Minister Skerrit asked persons to be optimistic about the night landing facility.
“There have been test landing here done already, I think last year December. So, we’re well on track and let’s keep our fingers crossed that the night landing can function properly … the only people who are going to benefit from this are the people of Dominica; because clearly we have to open up Dominica for a longer period of time and night landing would serve us very, very well,” he stated.
Let us not pick on st. vincent airport, they have five airports, and some that are longer than anos vale on main land st. vincent. look at the difference, five airport, and just a boat ride away from each other, they are more flexible than us here in Dominic. please check there website http://www.svgiadc.com or http://WWW.friends of the argyle international airport.com. They are building a new international airport, airport #6 with a run way of 9000 feet long, a price of $500 000 000, and it is expected be completed in 2013. what we have to do as Dominican, is to pick out selves up, dust our selves off, and learn from the vincentions. vincentions abroad are donating money towards the airport, we can do the same. Night landing is good, but not enough. Dominica is the largest of the windward Islands, we deserve better.
I don’t know but foor along time I find that freedomites and laborites are a very small minded set of ppl. I mean imagine st.maarten and the like like her can go in dominica more than once yet they all have international airports, I mean practically all the islands have international airports and we don’t want one!!! FU**ING AMAZING.
Just think about it ppl we don’t have an international airport we will never be international.
Only fools live to little standards!
i want the international airport now please!
when is this project going to be done!!!
we need a international airport in Dominica with senator addioson Mitch mcconnel admiral micheal Mullen general James Conway general James Cartwright and we need a report on melville hall airport
We in Dominica have suffered from “The Caribbean Airline” LIAT for decades, its 100% overpriced, inefficient, poor customer service, unreliable business. Competition from Caribbean Star and Caribbean Sun has come and gone which leaves back into LIAT’s arms. We suffer enough troubled travel issues in the day, what makes you think with night landing LIAT is going to change its service to Dominica?
American Airlines is another monopoly in the Caribbean but International Jet Airports have brought competition with other airlines like Continental, Delta, United, US Airways.
I would rather see an International Airport built than Night Landing.
LIAT has no competition, an International Jet Airport will bring much needed airline competition which lowers fares, give customers a choice in their airline.
Our PM Skerrits friend the PM of St Vincent is certainly taking St Vincent and the Grenadines to the “next level” with construction of the Argyle International Airport.
Night Landing is not taking Dominica to the “next level” in air access unless we can get non stop scheduled service to US with jet aircraft and get competition from regional airlines.
St Vincent has had night landing and is currently a major shareholder with LIAT and they are not happy with level and standard of service they get. That is why PM
Ralph Gonsalves is a true leader that is commited to taking SVG to the “next level” by building a new airport that can accomodate large jet.
Dominican politicians keep talking about the “next level” but fail to move in the right direction by building an International Jet Airport.
St Vincent will have non stop jet flights from the usa, europe, canada while Dominicans will still have to go through LIAT and airports like Antigua, Barbados, St Maarten to get home. That is some progress for sure. Every island has an International Jet Airport except Dominica, and it continues to remain so. Dominica needs real change in the approach to development and the so called enviromentalist need to stop blocking progress for the sake of keeping is “clean and green”.
you need admrial micheal mullen and admrial gary roughead and general james conway general james cartwright general james amos on this project
where is cuba and dubia and admiral micheal mullen and captain rodrick porter and mr vincent philbert on this project are the light even in yet and where is the 500,000,000 million dollars usd for the international airport in wesley ???
Pleased, pleased Dominicans! If Saint Vincent can build an international airport, for their people to start travel around the world, and it will be one of the best in the Caribbean. Why is the people in Dominica are complaining for just night landing. It’s the best for everyone there, included development! Please dream big? Because everyone has a dream!!!
Let me clarify Dominica will be the only “Independent Caribbean Nation” without an International Airport in 2012 after St Vincent completes its International Airport.
Note there are Caribbean Islands that do not have an International Airport but are Overseas Territory\Overseas Departments of England, France, Holland.
England Overseas Territory with no International Airports include the British Virgin Islands are Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Anguilla, Montserrat.
Holland (Netherlands) Overseas Territory with no International Airport include Saba, St Eustatius.
France Overseas Territory with no International Airport St Barths, Les Saintes.
@DAH MAN:
Cheers brov!! I am glad you appreciate the effort made. Personally I would have been just as happy if this was done by UWP or DFP. For me its about Dominica and not about politics. I don’t live at home and I am particularly happy because it means that when there is conjestion at the Antigua airport LIAT can leave late and still make it in to DA.
Sir, stop pulling the wool over the people’s eyes. Who was responsible for paying the 300 thousand plus dollars to charter the jets “that you were advised” had landed to bring down the voters to make the difference in the elections? Who provided protection for the jet while it sat on the ground at Melville Hall airport? ….. stop saying that’s what you heard. Dominicans are stupid and easily led but not as stupid as you think.
I admit that I too was a skeptic of the whole airport upgrade, most people see it as night landing, but fail to realise that the upgrades that are being undertaken will facilitate the landing of 737 airline (according to what was said in the article above) I live near an international airport and the last flight is usually around 8:30pm which isn’t too dark during the summer times. If a 737-200 or 737-400 can land and take off safely during the night, then it should be easier during the day, this would open dominica to larger numbers of persons flying in and out of the country. It would also drastically reduce flying time if someone can get a direct flight from NY JFK or Miami International. For me to come home with the present system it would mean 4 different air craft and about 24hrs of travel and thats unacceptable considering work schedules and such.
We are entitled to our opinions, but not our own facts. While night landing is great, I hope they approach the airport from the sea. It’s quite scary landing at Melville Hall during the daytime. Watch a YouTube Video of planes landing at Melville and you will appreciate some of the comments. Additionally, everyone has a right to be concerned about their own safety. It is not crazy at all to question the safety of night flights at Melville Hall.
dont matter who do the work in dominica as long as its workin for dominican its good, let all come together and see that all is right in dominica its time to move forward and lets make a better dominica,night landing is some thing we really need.
Congratulations to everyone involve. Well done hoping for straight flights from the US.
A 737?, cargo or passenger, that makes a big difference Mr PM, so lease let us know. I do not care who build or make it a reality, as long as I do not have to stop in PR again, so please tell us, passenger or cargo, because we have been having cargo land there for awhile; Amerijet.
At least we can all see the proof in that pudding. So many have came before and talked about what we see developing today. At the very least a serious attempt is being made to make things better for all of us.
PS……Pls Govt. of D/ca I would like to request that as part of the discussions with Liat I would like them to ensure that my bags get there with me and not two days later.
obviously pple… i am a pilot to be hopefully…. they planes will be landing from the mountain in the day
and from the sea in the night… we are in modern time.. instrument flying systems are guiding the pilots
till the plane touches down.. i would gladly volunteer to be on the first night shift flight into d/a. there are
worst airports than dominica’s .. yet the technology will still prevail… it will work. if they put a man on the
moon is a little liat plane they canna make land in melville hall?..
our people have been asking for an international airport for umpty years and that would include night landing ,we get night landing and we still complaining .(by the way i wont be one of the first 12000 passengers to take the risk )
@Iron mike Tyson,I,m not criticising the government bro,I am aware what’s going on,I lives overseas,I want to be among the first set night landing passenger land at mellvin hall airport, i don’t care about others cridicts once faa given okay,I just can’t wait.
I WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD AND TO PERSONS WHO VISIT THIS SITE IN AN EFFORT TO KNOW ABOUT DOMINICA, PLEASE DONT JUDGE OUR LOVELY COUNTRY BASED ON THE COMMENTS YOU READ ON HERE.OUR COUNTRY IS A LOVELY COUNTRY WITH ALOT OF LOVELY PEOPLE ITS JUST THAT WE WERE UNLUCKY TO BURDENED WITH A HANDFUL OF SMALL MINDED BACKWARD THINKING PEOPLE DONT JUDGE OUR BLESSED BELOVED COUNTRY BASED ON THEIR NEGATIVITY. COMPUTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL WALKS OF LIFE BUT PERSONS ARE BANKED ON USING THEN FOR MORE HARM THAN GOOD
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
ARGYLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
OVERVIEW
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is located in the Eastern Caribbean at 13º North and 61ºWest or about 100 miles West of Barbados. The Argyle International Airport is located on the Eastern coastline of St. Vincent, with a geographical alignment of 20º -43′ – 54″ / 200° – 43′ – 54′. Taking the magnetic variation into consideration, the runway designation is 02 and 20.
The proposed runway will be designated a non-precision approach runway, served by visual and non visual aids, providing directional guidance adequate for a straight in approach using visual approach procedures under visual meteorological conditions.
The design reference aircraft is the Boeing 747-400 aircraft for which the reference code of the airport was determined to be 4E and for which the standards and specifications are in accordance with ICAO annex 14.
An Airport Master Plan is now being prepared to guide development of the airport facilities over the long term.
AIRSIDE FACILITIES
Runway
Length: 2,743 metres
Width: 45 metres
Max longitudinal slope: 1.25%
Landing distance available: 2,623 metres
Take off distance available: 2,743 metres
The runway pavement design is for flexible pavement with the exception of the turning heads 02 and 20, which will be rigid pavement.
Taxiways
Two taxiways are being considered in the first stage. One taxiway will exit the runway to the west at 90° at approximately 1,150 metres from threshold 02 to service the general aviation and cargo apron. The second will be a high speed taxiway exiting the runway to the west at 45° at approximately 1,300 metres from the threshold to service the commercial apron with links to the general aviation apron. Aircraft with stopping distance beyond this taxiway will continue and make a 180° turn at the 20 head and taxi up the runway to the second Taxiway.
Provision is made in the Airport Master Plan for the future stages for additional taxi ways at the 20 head to exit unto a parallel taxiway to enter the apron. Provision is made in the Master Plan for a parallel taxi way for aircraft to taxi up to the 02 end of the runway for takeoff.
Apron
Three distinct interconnecting apron areas will be provided at the Argyle International Airport and are categorised as Commercial, General Aviation, and Cargo aprons.
Commercial Apron
Due to the limited transversal distance available, the apron will be linear with nose in at 90° mode, self propelled in and pushed out for the medium to large aircraft.
Telescopic air bridges for aircraft to be in contact with the passenger terminal building are being considered in the long term.
The commercial apron for the scheduled international passengers will serve one position of mixed aircraft such as B 747-400 and B767-200, one position for small to medium aircraft such as B737-800, and six positions for DHC-8 or similar aircraft. The dimension of the commercial apron is 262m x135m. Allowance has been made in the Master Plan for the future expansion of the apron towards the North.
General Aviation Apron
The general aviation apron is located south of the commercial apron with dimensions of 295 metres x179 metres. General aviation parking will be for mixed fleet such as executive jets (Global Express, Challenger), DHC-6 twin otter, and islanders. The general aviation apron will be flanked on the South of the apron by four (4) hangers, one of which will be earmarked for a FBO.
Cargo Apron
The Cargo facilities will be located immediately South of the General Aviation facilities. Apron parking will be provided for 2 aircraft of the size of the B727. Parking will be linear with nose in at 90°, self propelled in and pushed out.
NAVIGATION AIDS
It is proposed that the main navigation aid will be the VOR, co located with a DME, with no future plans to install an ILS to runway 02 mainly due to the restriction to install the localizer antenna. The final location will be defined after a full analysis of the instrument procedures and electronic evaluation of the site.
Metrological services
An automatic weather station (AWOS) will be installed and will provide the air traffic controllers (ATC) with relevant information to contribute toward Safety regularity and efficiency of international air navigation. The airport will be under visual metrological conditions (VMC) and will provide metrological reports required by the pilots.
Additionally, an illuminated wind direction indicator (WDI) equipped with obstacle lighting will be installed at each end to provide pilots upon approach with visual information on the surface wind speed and direction.
LANDSIDE FACILITIES
Passenger Terminal building
A single passenger terminal building will be located in front of the commercial apron to serve both domestic and international passengers, in the first stage. Future provision is made in the Master Plan for a separate domestic/general aviation terminal near the general aviation apron.
Telescopic air bridges to passenger terminal building to allow connection to aircraft is also being considered in the long term.
The building will be a modern terminal building that will provide a pleasant and efficient facility for passengers and users transiting the building, and with safety and security in accordance with ICAO annex 17.
Control tower
The control tower will be located immediately to the South of the cargo facilities and will be positioned on elevated land. The control tower will house the aerodrome and ground control at the upper level with complete view of the full length of the runway, taxiways, apron, and the approach and takeoff zones of the runway. The approach control and instrument room will be on the mid level. An emergency operation centre will be located on the lower level.
Fire fighting facility
The fire fighting facility will be located to the North of the commercial apron and shall fulfil the response time to any incident in accordance with the ICAO annex 14. The facility will have direct connection to the runway and apron.
Cargo facility
The cargo facility will be located in front of the cargo apron and will be a single building with a combination of elements in one building sufficiently integrated to permit operation as a single facility.
Ancillary facilities
The following facilities will be provided on the landside to support the terminal facilities and the airside operation:
1. Incinerators for solid waste,
2. Sewerage treatment for liquid waste,
3. Electrical substation, and
4. Water storage.
Source
http://www.svgiadc.com/
just like the stadium the ppl said it would never go up..then the same set of were the ones in the vip and enjoying it.. now night landing i bet u the same ppl here flapping their gums are the ones who gonna benefit from this night landing the most.
The night flight sound great but what time are we talking about not 6.30pm or 7pm. I need to be landing down by 9pm t0 11pm like LIAT does be doing in Antigua and even later… Many times i get to Antigua by 2am… Well big ups to MelVille Hall and the DA massives. If it’s one set of pilots i have faith in is LIAT pilots, most of the times they are late but trust me they are sure.
That’s just…This was promised to be completed within two weeks from PM Skerrit when he had his last campaign rally in 2009, Up till now it haven’t been completed as yet. So we getting false promises now? “Together We Must” my ..!!!
Thoughtful i support you 100%, what kills me is the lack of respect they display for all the engineers that ensures the safety of the facility. They disrespect the EU and Venezuela who agreed to fund the project, they disrespect the Colas Company who is actually doing the lighting!!!
I mean they fail (deliberatlely or otherwise) to realize that skerrit is not an engineer and even if he was he was not the one who actually did the project!!
LETS HAVE SOME RESPECT NAH PPL PLEASE, MAYBE YOUR COUSIN, FRIEND OR SOME OTHER RELATIVE WORKED OR IS WORKING ON THE PROJECT AND IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB YOU NEVER KNOW!!
Liat has one of the safest records that cannot be easily challenged and i will fly on them anytime night or day i feel safer with them than when i fly with international airlines.
If AA will not land at melville hall at nights no big deal liat will take them across, tyhe concept is that they will be in dca on the same day period!!!!
If liat can land in st vincent at night the can land anywhere at night trust me our runway is much larger than the anos vale air strip.
so patience my ppl!!!
I know that landing at Melville Hall has not always been the easiest, however some credit is due to the people who have made this valuable effort to move Dominica to another stage. As intellegent adults who God has blessed with the ability to reason (in most cases), we must put politics behind us and become more positive minded towards cultivating a state which is geared towards progress rather than retrogression.
@SKEPTICAL: There is no way that the Civil Aviation Authority will even grant permission for the night landing of aircraft at this airport if all the surrounding points of high altitude are not clearly marked and lit.
@ Aish: I often observe the massive jets as they depart from the airport in St. Maarten and they way they have to climb quickly to avoid the hills ahead of them. I dont see why Dominica should be much different.
@ DAH MAN: I am sure that if the government officials could have done it themselves it would have been finished already bro. You should know that this is what happens when you have other people working for you.
I am not a political person but I honestly think that all of the criticism being levelled at the government as regards to this airport extension and night landing capability is uncalled for. This stage which we are moving to can only do us good.
The hoteliers are saying we need an international airport first for them to build more rooms. The government is saying we need more rooms first before we can build an international airport. So I am guessing we are just going to stay the same. I personally will prefer to overnight in Antigua than land DA in night. I prefer spend some money and land in DA in a less risky way the next morning. Thats just my 2cents however to each his own. You want to land in night is your call but please don’t try to convince other people to do the same. When it comes to development we should not play politics with it like them politicians. Night landing is great very good however I think that extending Melvin Hall was a bad idea. We should have gotten an alternate site, a site we could develop over the years. Melvin Hall can no longer be developed.
I don’t believe we should just go ahead and build an international airport. The approach should be that we build an airport that is able to expand and expand until it becomes an international airport. Grantley Adams airport expanded so many times. That should be the approach; you expand when you have money or if you predict expanding would bring in more money. Thats just my 2cents but then again I don’t have big degree like the experts and politicians that say we should or should not. LOL
skerrit is not dominica so you skerrit puppys when someone talk about what he is doing wrong that dos’ent mean they dont love there country.they want what’s good for all dominican so please take your nose off skerrit a//// and wake up and smell the fresh air in da
to all of you criticizing, wait till you are stranded in ANU and have the option for a night flight……. of course, there are always engineers who never went to engineering school, 1 want to volunteer for the first flight……… soon enough all of us will want to experience it. voila!
Why are we so pesimistic people? Why can’t some of us embrace progress for the greater good of our beloved country. Leave politics out of the development of our Dominica. We complain about everything that’s forward thinking. The masses have been complaining about access to Dominica and this project was the most feasible in terms of cost among other factors. Let’s do our part to move our country forward. Be more PATRIOTIC. According to someone earlier you pesimists are turning people away from our unique island. Watch what you say and write and stop the ignorance. Thank you
To realist…
I think that this attitude of “we cant do this, that wont work here, we cant afford that ” is one of the main reason why Dominica is so backward, while the smaller countries with less resources keep moving forward. No Guts, No Glory..
This attitude is not only crippling our economy, but it is keeping our people poor and unable to live a decent life. Opportunities not just going to appear automatically, our leaders need to grow some nuts and do, or find ways to create opportunities for our people. We not paying them a salary or give them our votes to find excuses why they cant develop the country, but to find solutions to the people’s problems.
It doesn’t matter what government the country gets it won’t develop until the people’s attitude towards their abilities change. Stop thinking that we not good enough to have an International airport, or we don’t have the ability to run one. Or we cant have international hotels that employ hundreds of people. Thinking that way haven’t help the country in the last 50yrs, so we need a different approach.
Where there is a will, there is a way…
Where the leaders lack vision, the people will perish.
Its time we get the “slavery mentally out ”
OPEN YOUR EYES MY PEOPLE>>>>
we need an international airport lets see if any one comes in at night you need to come to the real world and get direct flights. we will see in march
everybody bawling for night landing, we are finally going to get it yet we still cant do anything but complain. lets not make an airport political for crying out loud. it may be a little step but its a step forward and we should be proud of that.
no matter day or night landing, river, mountain or sea, whatever has to happen will happen. there are countries who have no rivers, mountains or seas around their airport and there are still horrible plane crashes. so stop with the negativity
I’ve never gone on another website and see people “mash down” their own country like people doing DA on this site.
Its like people are praying for something bad to happen to DA.
I am all for constructive criticism but to read some of the comments here, its just sad.
I wonder where our loyalty really is.
Development comes at a price. If this don’t work, at least it was tried and something else can be worked out. Its better to try and fail than fail to try.
Lets stay positive and wish the best for our country.
let me dat is one of the best thing dat ever goin to happen in da. trust me it is better to start small cant just buield an internationl aiport so cause it is very expensive to maintain one and plus we dont have much hotels and if we have to buield an internationl airport we need hotels close. but this airport is great good job pm and your team
Flight Aware Tracking Nolinor Aviation based in Montreal (Canada) Flight NRL560 of Dec 17 Newark, NJ to Fort Lauderdale, FL for refueling for Non Stop trip to Dominica flying Dominica voters! (This is the B737 flight Prime Minister Skerrit is refering to)
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NRL56…/KEWR/KFLL
Miami to Melville Hall Airport Non Stop B737-200 Nolinor Aviation Flight NRL560 leg for Dec 18 election.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NRL56…/KMIA/TDPD
Return trip San Juan, PR to Fort Lauderdale, FL Dec 21 leg.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NRL56…/TJSJ/KFLL
Final leg B737 from Fort Lauderdale, Fl to Newark, NJ on Dec 21 after elections.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NRL56…/KFLL/KEWR
Photo of Nolinor Aviation B737-200 registered as C-GNLN arriving in San Juan, Pr from Melville Hall Airport enroute back to the US (Fort Lauderdale & Newark) Dec 21
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Nolinor-A…9dba09c7eb
Imperial Jets (US New York Based charter jet broker) outsourced the charter flight to Dominica from Newark to Nolinor Aviation (Montreal, Canada based cargo and charter airline). Guess no American charter airline wanted their Boeing 737 flying into Dominica based on the limiting factors such as runway length, few support facilities for such an aircraft of this size considering this was never done before.
Runway
End (catastrophe),
Say
Adieu
and get ready to meet ur maker. Maybe the PM and his council should be the 1st persons on this late pm flight so DA people can see for themselves and be somewhat reassured
There is no way if I have a choice that I will be landing or taking off in night. Daytime is scary enough! People can play all their politics with this that is them but I and I not landing there in night or taking off!!!
If u miss from the mountain side u hit the sea wall if you miss from the sea side you hit mountain or river. Allu can take allu risk but flying is risky enough I will not add more risk to my travels. But do what allu want that is allu zafete.
I want the first flight landing in the night to be a loaded with Skerrit, his cabinet and some blind supporters to make up the rest of the space. They would also have to find a blind laybah pilot as well. So when that happens tell me.
To NIke – Id like to shake your big toe.. Point WELL SAID!!… We dominicans enjoy tearing down our own people and their efforts too much. but somehow let some foriegner with some crazy background and a FAKE smile come. they welcome them with open arms.
We don’t need an international airport to burden us from cost of mentainance and decline in tourism Worldwide… We needed an efficient airport.. able to handle a certain volume of passengers and still be profitable for the country.!!!… JOB WELL DONE! I’d sure like to be one of the first to land in d/ca at night, a breath of fresh air, ..! (I dont support any politicians but atleast it wasnt all bark like MAMO and Edision james)..
From MIA and JFK “jeron”? Maybe if its not chartered by some political party, but its not gonna happen commercially.
WEII I WILL STILL TAKE THE FIRST FLIGHT IN …………NOT ME PAPA I DONT TRUST NIGHT LANDING NO WHERE AT ALL I ALWAY TRY TO GET THE DAY FLIGHT
One day all the negative people will put on their positive cap and help in the development of D A in stead of critizing.
My people why are some of us so negative. Go on any website and see if the bad talk their country like we do DA.
DA is ours. I am all for constructive critics but to just seat their and tear down your country is shameful. Then we have the gutts to ask where the tourist where the investors?? We turning everybody away from DA with out tongue by what we say and our fingers by what we write.
when all is said and done we can blame nobody for DA not moving forward.
God is good all the time, and all the time god is good. Congrates – job well done. God bless the nature isle.
I would have thought something as historical and important as the first landing of a 737 on the island the PM would be present at. To make an admission that ‘ he was advised’ and ‘I did not see it myself’ reflects badly on him.
@ idi amin
What happened in J/ca had nothing to do with it being night time. tsk
I don`t want to sound like a pessimist but have we at least found a site(or sight)
for the international airport yet? nite landing will obviously bring some sort of relief to travelers traveling to dominica. Its high time we see some real development in Dominica in terms of the inter-airport and hotel construction.
@john the current runway length is 5,800 feet. was 4800 before the extention.please people wise up,we won’t be seeing any schedule internation flights from the usa into melvillehall.charter flights yeah but under FAA guidlines american airlines can’t land from the sea for safety reasons;so please don’t expect them to be landing there at nights.st vincent airport approach from the sea is similar and american pulled out becuase of the risk it posed.lucky for us they can land from the mountain unlike st vincent thats why they have not pulled out of dominica yet.the pm is well aware that american won’t be coming into dominica at night cuz they have already informed them that.
i am fed up i recall charles sarvarin said november 2009 then turn around said december 2009 look now skerit said march 2010,what’s really going on with this night landing,
all the people who think its gonna be plain sailing to land at melville hall at night just look at what happened recently in ja and trust me melville hall is not half as near the ja international airport. i will never get fed up of the ferry to gwada and then an international flight. nuff said
I think the night landing is a good thing. Progress does not come without risks.How do you think the developed countries were developed? Fear of failure is normal, but courage is not the absence of fear.We must support progress and turn away from needless cynicism about night landing and other projects that could bring much needed dollars to dominica.Keep an eye on the excessess of govt but support much needed change and let some common sense rule for a change; something that’s in short supply these days.
atleast we moving to another level but we should all be awear dat wen it open for landing wat planes are going to land dere some other problems might arise wat about de regulations for night landing do we follow dat
@skeptical! it takes weeks to make months; You can say 6 weeks; you can say a month and a half. He did not say howmany weeks, did he? just a question.
Me i will always take a day flight, but at least we dont have to overnight in antigua, we can have an evening flight.
Bravo Bravo!
thats good if american airline agree we can stleast have a flight from miami and jfk
I am happy for my country we finally got night landing so hopefully, overnighting in Antigua will be no more.
JUST A THOUGHT DESE CATZ AINT DEPENDIN ON DOMLEC AZ THEIR SOURCE OF POWER RIGHT I MEAN DEY HAVE BACK-UP RIGHT JUST A THOUGHT
AS LONG AS IS NOT ME LANDING THERE FIRST
.. I will continue to fly in DA only at night because unless they bulldose a couple mountains it will be very difficult for pilots to land in DA.
I am going to wait and see what LIAT and AA decides.
What is the length of the airstrip with the extension? I would like to know please.
Great job Skerro!!!
Toujour????
As much as i thinks this is a good thing for the country, i have to remain skeptical that it will make much difference. Since it seems only liat will be landing there. What we need is an international airport, that international flights can bring stay over tourist directly to this country.. The inter-airport will have a domino effect on the economy.
International airport = Stay-over Tourist = Investments in Hotels and other accommodations = Demand for goods and produce(market for farmers) = Demand for workers( jobs creation) = Bigger economy = More prosperity for Dominicans…..
you need to relise that the people are loosen hope on this project me included why is thier a contract probmlem are these people getting paid for over time.
More broken political promises – weeks turn into months and months will turn into years!
Safety of travellers must take precedence in the night landing option. Melville Hall Airport is surrounded by lofty mountains. These mountains should be well guarded/highlighted with safety lights to alert pilots, to guide their landing and taking off.
I hope the Minister who is responsible for Air and Sea Ports has a contingency plan.
An Optimistic Dominican
Hurrayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!! no over nighting in ANU!!!!
But still too late…
i am so happy now we all can start flying in the night