Select a region
EMAS “is an expensive waste of time” and focus needs to be elsewhere, a former Loganair CEO has said.
Jonathan Hinkles was speaking following presentations by the Guernsey Aviation Action Group and Swedish company, and EMAS provider, Runway Safe.
The two brought forward proposals which would see one or more Engineered Material Arrest Systems installed at the ends of Guernsey Airports Runway. This would come at a cost of around £10m., they claim, and would allow the airport's current run off to be used as an active runway.
Supporters of the installation say this helps meet several metrics needed to bring in larger jets, and would come at a fraction of the cost of a runway extension, estimated to be up to £100m.
Pictured: Runway Safe and GAAG say Guernsey could benefit from one of the Swedish Company's arresting systems, due to the location of our Airport. (Picture Courtesy of Runway Safe)
But former Logan Air CEO, Jonathan Hinkles, said: "“The concept is an expensive waste of time, and worse still, the debate is diverting attention about Guernsey Airport away from where it urgently needs to be focused.
"An EMAS installation on one or other end of the runway will still mean that the available landing distance in one direction will be the same as today, at 1,460 metres.
“As the physical length of the runway strip is only 1,703 metres, there’s also no way that installing an EMAS on both ends could increase the declared distance for landing or take-off to 2,000 metres. It’s risible to claim otherwise.”
Runway length was just one of the claims made by GAAG and Runway Safe that Mr Hinkles objected to. He said that even if the lengths are ignored, weight and capacity then start to play a factor.
“Guernsey’s runway isn’t strong enough to bear the weight of larger aircraft such as Boeing 737s or Airbus A320s. An Airbus A320 would be restricted to taking around 60% of its potential combined passenger and fuel weight on take-off from Guernsey, and that figure falls yet further for a 737.
"This would impose huge limits on the number of passengers that could be carried on larger aircraft at Guernsey – completely defeating the objective of improving the viability of the island’s air links.”
Pictured: Mr Hinkles was the CEO of LoganAir for seven years, and is now a self-employed Aviation Adviser.
His statement ends with a call to drop discussions surrounding an EMAS installation and instead focus on operational matters, and other areas which needs the attention of States funding.
“This nonsensical debate is taking up valuable air time when there are very real issues which need to be addressed at Guernsey Airport.
“The airport’s operating hours are wholly inadequate to support based airlines flying a full schedule with adequate buffers against air traffic control or weather delays that they can’t control. That’s already led to cancellation of flights this summer, and this will continue until a proper level of resilience is established on top of current opening hours.
"There’s a compelling and urgent need to stop wasting time on the EMAS debate and instead focus on getting the airport and its existing facilities fully fit to serve the Guernsey community at a sustainable cost.”
Runway extension for a fraction of the cost - should Guernsey get EMAS?
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.