The PNG Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has identified alternative ways to reduce disruptions to commercial aviation operations, leading up to and during the APEC 2018.
In a presentation yesterday at the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Conference in Kokopo, CASA’s Gabriel Salayau highlighted zones that will take on extra flights during the APEC 2018.
These zones include those belonging to the country’s military flight base, which will be also used as a base for other such flights travelling to Rabaul, Madang and Goroka, possible host provinces for some sessions of the APEC 2018 Summit.
Salayau states this is to prevent anticipated airspace congestion during this high demand period.
The alternative logistic arrangement, he reveals, is through its Committee on Safety and Security (COSS).
COSS is composed of several key disciplinary and relevant government agencies, including the Royal PNG Constabulary, PNG Defence Force, Customs, Immigration and Citizenship, CASA, Civil Fire Service, Department of Health and National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA).
COSS has 20 members who anticipate the lead up to APEC 2018 will impact the PNG aviation sector by also seeing an increase of international operations to and from Port Moresby. Also, international airlines will experience heavier load factors.
He says the possibility of potential aviation traffic delays may have a huge impact on the PNG aviation sector during the APEC Leaders Week, from November 20 to 26 in 2018.
Anticipated measures put in place are the activation of Special Use Airspace and Restricted Airspace to cater for the large numbers of State aircrafts at Port Moresby and other PNG airports.
Salayau says with the PNG Defence Force at the helm of COSS, there will be increased military operations in PNG airspace.
(Participants at the week-long Civil Aviation Safety and Security Conference in Kokopo, East New Britain Province.)