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$518M landing system, extended runway commissioned at CJIA
The extended runway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) was on Sunday afternoon commissioned with the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon (Photo Credit: DPI)
Kaieteur News – An extended runway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), coupled with a $518M Instrument Landing System (ILS), were commissioned on Sunday.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, who was among the Ministers present at the commissioning of the 3,360 metre expanded runway, explained that Guyana itself would benefit from the runway expansion since it can now be used to attract bigger aircraft and services. According to Minister Edghill, it will ultimately open up greater opportunities for Guyana.
“Air traffic control and pilots will also benefit from situational awareness, enhanced warning, both in terms of predicting and resolving systems in the air and on the ground, an approach monitoring which will enhance airspace safety. Guyana, the State will benefit,” Minister Edghill noted.
The Director of Air Navigation Services, Rickford Samaroo, explained that the ILS will reduce flight diversion and delays by 90 percent.
Meanwhile, the CJIA Chairman, Sanjeev Datadin, explained what the ILS and the extended runway would mean for the airport. “This new lengthened runway will now allow those larger aircraft that have been coming to Guyana, to do so at their maximum capacity. That would mean they can carry more cargo and of course for the commercial airlines, it means they’ll be able to carry their full passenger quotas,” Datadin stated.
Datadin further said, “The ILS cost $482M, which comprises of a localiser and a glide path. And also, a precision approach path indicator which cost $36M. This new piece of equipment allows safer landing, with airplanes coming in now able to use their instruments to tell how high off the ground they are, at what angle they’re coming in and what is their exact path.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond and Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, who previously served as Public Works Minister, along with other officials, were also in attendance.
It was previously explained by Project Manager of the CJIA Modernisation Project, Carrissa Gooding that the northeastern end of the runway’s asphaltic surface has been extended by 400 metres.
This is in addition to 250 metres of the Runway End Safety Area (RESA).
Additionally, the southeastern end of the runway was extended by 690 metres, as well as an extension of 90 metres of RESA.
The extended runway falls under the US$150 million CJIA expansion. The Ministry of Public Works had entered into an agreement with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) back in December, which would see the contractor doing US$9 million in additional works to further extend the airport at no cost to the State.
The new works involve an extension of the airport’s boarding corridor in order to accommodate the two passenger boarding bridges, providing the airport with a total of six boarding bridges capable of servicing aircrafts such as the Boeing 777, Dreamliner, the Airbus and analogous trans-Atlantic aircrafts.
It would also see the terminal building being extended to provide accommodation for additional commercial space, such as food courts and duty-free shops. The extended building will feature a modern airport façade covering the full length of the departure terminal.
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