Airport runway’s resurfacing to be completed in just over two months
The now overdue task to resurface the runway at Terrance B Lettsome International Airport should be completed in two-and-a-half months.
Cabinet gave that indication in its latest report to the public.
The report said: “Cabinet decided, in principle, to an advance of $5.52M to the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) for the surfacing of the runway at the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport to allow works to commence and be completed by the 19th of April 2019.”
The BVI Airports Authority is expected to immediately repay that $5.5 million advance from its insurance settlement.
It is not clear what the total sum of that settlement is.
In the meantime, the airport’s runway is being resurfaced in accordance with regulations that govern airport operations. Nothing has been said about what accommodations will be made to ensure the continuity of airport operations while the runway is being resurfaced
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ayo better try bring in an outside company to do this
I agree, but the materials to surface can be Made and Purchased in the BVI.
They are and the opposing political pundits have a problem with that fact.
Oh please don’t use the same methods you use on the roads. I will have to start travelling by ferry.
TBLIA is not a fire hydrant but nonetheless, the Road Dog will do its ting on it. “The now overdue task to resurface the runway at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport should be completed in two-and-a-half months.” The key word in this sentence is “over due.” The runway is the most essential component in an airport system. Every second, minute aircrafts weighing over several hundred thousand pounds touch down on it, imposing tremendous force on it. Well, TBLIA is a small airport so the weight of the planes that use it may be less several hundred thousand pounds but you get the point.
Nevertheless, regardless of the weight, the runway pavement must be designed to safely and functionally support this continuous force. The runway pavement is designed to support so many landings before it needs to be replaced. However, between construction and reconstruction the surface course must be religiously and periodically received maintenance, ie, overlay…….etc. Environmental factors, ie, UV rays……..etc, age, use….etc cause the surface to deteriorate; in fact, the surface starts deteriorating the second it is laid.
It is urgent and important for the safe operation of the airport that maintenance occurs in a timely manner. This maintenance include not only the runway but also the taxiway, apron………etc. Foreign object debris (FOD)removal is also vital. To my knowledge, TBLIA has only 1 active runway so will the airport stay open during the maintenance, will the work be done at night, what qualifications experience, and certifications, if any, are needed to bid on the work? Will sample cylinders be taken to send to a qualified lab for analysis? Will the BVIAA hire a qualified inspector to inspect the work while it is being put in place, for inspection after the fact is not preferable?
The Road Dog is heading back Town through East End, Long Look, Hope, Bell Vue, Long Trench and Fahie Hill……etc to check out the road conditions. Bow, bow, bow!!
I bet that the first set of insurance money is being bad spent as we speak.