I would like to update the House on the latest position with the St Helena Airport.
On 10 May, Air Safety Support International (ASSI), the airport safety regulator for the UK Overseas Territories, issued an Aerodrome Certificate to St Helena Airport, having been satisfied that the airport complies with international aviation safety and security standards. The St Helena Airport is therefore open and able to receive flights, as illustrated by the medical evacuation flight on 4 June 2016, which took a baby with breathing difficulties to South Africa for emergency treatment.
This Certificate confirms St Helena airport is classed as Category C, which requires certain conditions to be met for airlines and aircraft operating into St Helena airport. This classification results from challenges of turbulence and wind shear identified on the northern approach during a series of test flights into the airport. Wind shear is a phenomenon experienced at a number of airports around the world e.g. London City Airport. It does not preclude regular flights to those airports once the operational procedures to manage it are in place. These procedures are being developed for St Helena Airport and will include an assessment of the measures used by other airports faced with wind shear.
In the interim, an air access solution to St Helena is being identified using the southern approach to the airport, which does not have similar issues with wind shear. Using the southern approach will require landings with a tailwind. The tailwinds need to be within acceptable limits and there are payload limits depending on the strength of those tailwinds and the type of aircraft used.
While details of the short and medium term options for air access are being developed, and in order to retain access for the people of St Helena, the St Helena Government has agreed to extend the services of the RMS St Helena for a further period beyond its previously planned service date of the end of July 2016.
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