CAL Express fleet review depends on LC airport project
(CNS): Cayman Airways will be renewing its Express domestic fleet in the coming years, and a study is now underway to review the Saab aircraft that currently flies between Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac for a suitable replacement, Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan told parliament recently. But the decision might be contingent on what happens with the controversial proposal to develop a new airport on Little Cayman against the wishes of most of the residents.
In addition to the two Saabs, CAL Express has two Twin Otter aircraft that fly round trips to all three Cayman Islands. These small planes are suitable for landing on the short airstrip at Little Cayman’s Edward Bodden Airfield, which requires special permission from the Civil Aviation Authority because the airfield doesn’t meet international safety regulations.
While a third Twin Otter has been purchased and is due to arrive this month, in the long term, CAL is hoping to replace these small planes as well as the Saabs it uses to service Cayman Brac with a single type of aircraft to cover all the domestic routes.
Bryan told parliament that Cayman Airways has enlisted an aviation consultancy firm to conduct the research and analysis “necessary for identifying the optimal replacement”, and an early report is currently under evaluation that will ultimately lead to a recommendation to the government for new planes. However, the decision will be affected by what happens on Little Cayman.
At the moment CAL must regularly secure a flight exemption certificate to fly to Little Cayman, which has continued for many years. But although the Twin Otters have been flying into Little Cayman safely for decades and discontinuing the exemption would immediately kill all tourism on the island and strand residents, Bryan claimed that recently, there had been indications from the governor’s office, which is responsible for aviation safety, that this special exemption could be pulled.
However, he assured MPs that this would not happen in September and said the certificate was almost certainly going to be renewed next month, especially in light of the arrival of the new Twin Otter in the next couple of weeks.
The government has said this is because the Cayman Islands Airports Authority is now in the process of rolling out plans to redevelop the airports on all three islands. All of the plans have generated controversy over a number of issues, such as costs, justification for the work and negative environmental impacts. But the proposal to build a new airport on Little Cayman is among the most controversial of all the plans.
While the plan to develop a new airport poses a substantial and direct threat to the natural habitat at the proposed site, residents on Little Cayman also fear the far wider impact on the unique and pristine habitat of the entire island and its way of life. A larger airport will lead to an increase in development and visitors, placing the island’s natural resources and marine habitat at much greater risk.
While Bryan has said there is an option on the table to expand and improve the existing airfield to meet the CAA requirements, he believes that would be too costly and difficult as it would require the acquisition of property. The minister has made it clear that while a decision has not yet been made, he favours moving the airport.
Answering questions last month from Moses Kirkconnell MP, who represents Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman, Bryan said the situation was delicate. He claimed the government was looking for “balance”, a concept environmental activists are growing increasingly concerned about, given that it always seems to be weighed heavily in favour of development.
However, Bryan has acknowledged the strong feelings of the Little Cayman community, which wants to keep the airport at its present location. A petition recently started by the Sister Islands Tourism Association reflects the local opposition to a new airport and the determination of objectors to fight the proposal to develop a larger airport.
The petitioners have said that they believe there are other options which have not been considered.
“Those driving this change are trying to present this as an unavoidable and required change which we do not accept,” the petition states. “We are aware of other airports around the world, including in our region, that cannot comply with all regulations and are granted certain exemptions or derogations that ensure safety is not compromised.”
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Category: development, Local News
I would love to see how the aquisition of the lands currently being used for the airstrip to upgrade it could possibly be more expensive than building a whole new airport in a wetland. These property owners (mostly DART) do not seem to be bothered by the current airport as that is never brought up in the reasons to move it. So why do it?
The majority of Caymanians living in little cayman wants a new and safe airport.
The Saab has decent leg room and is comfortable. I hope “optimal replacement” doesn’t equate to designing ways to put more cattle in the car.
Why is it that there is not a sea ferry service between the Brac and Little Cayman?
We are talking about 10 – 12 mile distance.
6 miles – but the sea is rough. The trip is best served by Twin Otters (or alternative like a Cessna Caravan) or even better, a helicopter shuttle from the Brac airport to a heliport at the eastern end of Little Cayman.
Cessna Caravan with Floats e.g. sea plane and not in South Hole Sound but near Mary’s Bay
Harrier jump jets and hot air balloons.
Unicorns and dragons.
Dolphins and flying fish.
What’s all of a sudden wrong with what we’ve got now? Oh I get it, while desperately trying to get my mind down to Kenny’s logic level, it must be that the new runway will be to big for the puddle jumper and Saab right?
The whole LC airport thing is just a smokescreen to justify buying a new fleet of aircraft to service the Brac. And the Brac always gets what it wants.
As it currently stands, LC airlift is being significantly negatively impacted by using the Twin Otters to service the Brac, when they already have the Max fleet and the Saabs operating. But it’s never enough.
Grand Cayman encroaches on Little Cayman.
Worlds will collide….
ATR-42/72 is the solution.
How many passengers can ATR 42 carry?
ATR 42 – Wikipedia
ATR 42-600S
The aircraft is capable of operating from runways as short as 800-metre-long (2,600 ft) with up to 34 passengers, and 890-metre-long (2,920 ft) fully seated (48 passengers) on short routes
Yup. Even have a STOL version.
Do we really need aircraft with 34 passenger seats going to LC, even to Brac? Current Twin Otters go regularly with spare seats unoccupied. What’s the point here?
lots of times the Saab planes are fully booked on their early and late flights. Many times people need to go to Doctor in Grand but can’t get on the Plane to arrive in time for their appointment. If had a bigger plane (say 60 or so seater) could leave Brac 8:30 am and leave Grand 5;30 pm * instead running the Saab 4 times a day. Could also use the plane to go Cuba and Honduras. Makes sense, don’t it ?
So its two questions: how many people (always the national question, just as the Port) and how long a runway? The ATR solves the later by still working on the current airstrip and you can decide after that how many people you pack into it. And it does it in one plane, which is what they (logically & reasonably) want for operational efficiency.
So, as pointed out below, think of the ATR as a replacement for the SAAB & the Otter, flying to both Brac (more seats) and Little Cayman (capacity limited by the soon-come area development plan guided by the community’s desires to cap population at a number ‘reasonable for LC’s infrastructure and vibe’) which is what they say they want to do. Except it also doesn’t need a new runway, which is the other thing they say they want. So maybe too logical.
Note that the ATR doesn’t mean the new runway isn’t the right decision. Just that the ATR is proof that you can first decide to stay or move the airport based on community & airport related issues only and then find an airplane that uses the airport you decided on.
The only thing is, the ATR is a very tricky plane to operate. I don’t think youngster could fly it like they do with the Twin Otter.
Right on cue… ATR 72 crashes in Brazil killing 70 today
40 hull losses for the ATR variants since introduction. CAL best advised to pass.
Icing
Pilot suicide
Navigation error
The equipment is sound.
It’s terrifying that such a profoundly consequential decision is in the hands of such a shallow, unprincipled man.
Nothing more obvious than a veiled threat so he can get his new airport and open up development.