St. Helena. too windy

[Jader1973]

I've just read on the BBC that the Department for International Development spent 285 million pounds built an airport on St Helena but they won't open it because of fears the high winds will make it too dangerous for commercial aircraft.

Looks like they've had one BA aircraft in during April for testing. I wonder if the pilot expressed some concerns?

I'd love to see the original feasibility study.

[mcdjl]

And in other news http://www.passengership.info/news/view,irms-st-he...

[maffski]

The government have already said the RMS St Helena service will be maintained until the airport is full open (I think it normally sails from Cape Town, UK visits only happened about once a year so).

http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/maintaining-access-t...

[saaby93]

The report says wind shear rather than high winds, or does it mean cross winds? How do you reduce wind shear so a plane doesnt suddenly drop out the sky?

[V8 Fettler]

Big Harrier!

[Munter]

Video of the test landing on the BBC, with a bit of chat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headline...

[longshot]

You couldn't make it up.

[Orchid1]

I was wondering what would happen if they were suddenly unable to land for whatever reason. Where's the closest alternative?

[Munter]

Orchid1 said:

I was wondering what would happen if they were suddenly unable to land for whatever reason. Where's the closest alternative?

Looks like an RAF base on Ascension about 800 miles away.

[hornetrider]

They built the entire fking airport before testing if the runway was feasible? Who the fk signed that off?

[Eric Mc]

Jader1973 said:

Looks like they've had one BA aircraft in during April for testing.

Commair actually.

[Jader1973]

Eric Mc said:

Jader1973 said:

Looks like they've had one BA aircraft in during April for testing.

Commair actually.

The one in the video is BA.

They must have had more than one.

[Eric Mc]

Jader1973 said:

The one in the video is BA.

They must have had more than one.

It's a Comair aircraft. Comair operate as a franchisee of BA and their aircraft carry BA colours. But they are an independent South African airline.

As a result, we have had anomalies such as this -

[anonymous-user]

Eric Mc said:

Jader1973 said:

Looks like they've had one BA aircraft in during April for testing.

Commair actually.

Comair actually.

As Eric points out its Comair, a BA franchise.

[williredale]

There's a chap who lives over the road from me who is from St. Helena. I was chatting to him last year about the opening of the airport and how much easier it would make it to get there.
He said the best way at the moment is flying to Cape Town and getting the boat up from there but it's not a quick journey because of the schedules.

I'll have to ask him about the airport again next time I see him.

[Eric Mc]

el stovey said:

Comair actually.

As Eric points out its Comair, a BA franchise.

Typo.

[FourWheelDrift]

hornetrider said:

They built the entire fking airport before testing if the runway was feasible? Who the fk signed that off?

Who'dythunk?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Helena_Airport...

[Krikkit]

Fantastic picture.

[Jader1973]

el stovey said:

Eric Mc said:

Jader1973 said:

Looks like they've had one BA aircraft in during April for testing.

Commair actually.

Comair actually.

As Eric points out its Comair, a BA franchise.

So it is BA then.

In the same way Joe Blogs Inc operating a McDonalds franchise is usually known as "McDonalds" and not "Joe Blogs Inc".

[anonymous-user]

Jader1973 said:

el stovey said:

Eric Mc said:

Jader1973 said:

Looks like they've had one BA aircraft in during April for testing.

Commair actually.

Comair actually.

As Eric points out its Comair, a BA franchise.

So it is BA then.

In the same way Joe Blogs Inc operating a McDonalds franchise is usually known as "McDonalds" and not "Joe Blogs Inc".

No it's comair,, in the same way you could book a GB airways flight in BA colours or a British Mediterranean flight in BA colours. This is comair in BA colours.