MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Positive outcome of ASSI visit to St Helena Airport

The St Helena airport has received an ASSI endorsed certification of Air Traffic Services for a twelve month period from 3 April 2017

Senior Aerodrome Inspector, Justin Rothwell, and Air Traffic Services Inspector, Sarah Lee, from Air Safety Support International (ASSI), the regulator for St Helena Airport, visited the Island recently. The purpose of their visit, according to an official release from the Overseas Territory, was to undertake an audit to consider the extension of the certification of St Helena Airport.

 Highlights of the visit included a cliff rescue exercise as well as an emergency exercise held at the Airport. Both exercises involved Airport and SHG personnel and were observed by the ASSI team members and the visiting team from the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The teams involved are to be congratulated on their skills and professionalism.

Formal feedback has now been received from ASSI. ASSI have:

Endorsed certification of Air Traffic Services for a twelve month period from 3 April 2017.

Provided an open-ended (i.e. not time bound) Aerodrome Certificate for St Helena Airport

In November 2011, St Helena Government signed a Design, Build and Operate (DBO) contract with Basil Read (Pty) Ltd. The contract included £201.5 million for the design and construction of the airport, an additional amount - of up to - £10 million on shared risk contingency and £35.1 million for ten years of operation.

The project aims to provide air services to St Helena, fulfilling the UK Government’s commitment to maintaining access to the Island, and provide it with a real opportunity for economic growth through tourism.

Both the St Helena Government and the UK Government hope that this will lead to eventual financial self-sustainability for St Helena.