MADANG provincial airstrips need K2.5 million funding annually to run and maintain in the province.
Madang Airstrip Coordinator Ray Romo said the Provincial government funding of K1.5 million this year is not enough to cater for the 55 airstrips in the province.
Romo is calling on newly appointed Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Nixon Duban, Rural Airstrips Authority (RAA) and the local MPs of each district to give funding to cater for the airstrips in their districts.
He said apart from Western, West Sepik and Morobe provinces, Madang has the fourth highest number of rural airstrips in the country which Middle Ramu District holds the highest number with 26, Raicoast 15, Usino Bundi 11 and Sumkar 3.
“The limited funds allocated annually by Madang Provincial Government would not fully cater for the activities associated with the maintenance and rehabilitation of these rural airstrips to operable standards required by the General Aviation Safety regulation,”
“Our current plan maintenance activities and expected cost include, general maintenance activities, purchase of navigational markers and indicators, purchase tools machineries and equipments, transportation, freighting and chartering, fuel and HF Radio Installation,” Romo said.
He added that the general maintenance activities includes cutting grass on and around the runway, drain maintenance, cutting and clearing of tall vegetation such as trees palms on approach and take off in nearby areas and patching of potholes on the runway and apron which will cost around K1 million.
He said each year K500, 000 is spent on general maintenance activities while about K20,000 is spent on an airstrip each year.
He said as per the Aviation Safety Regulation, cone markets and wind socks are the two vital indicators and markers required on all aerodromes at all times to help assist pilots during landing and take off safely. To date the airstrips in Madang need these equipmentsto prevent accidents.
“The cost of all these navigational equipment will add up to K280,000 with markers and wind sockets are most likely to be damaged during careless or uncontrolled bush fires thus may require frequent replacement,”
“Tools machineries and equipments like lawn movers brush cutters, bush knives, grassknives and rakes and wheel barrows are needed to maintain airstrips with ride-on mower or tractors may be required to assist the labour burden,” he added.
In total for the tools machineries and equipments alone cost around K205,400 with transportation, freighting and chartering will cost K380,000 and fuel K289,400 a year,” Romo said.
He said the most convenient and reliable method of communication demanded by Air Operators is by HF radios and communication through HF radios can be done between the pilot and the ground or between the air operator and the agent at the airstrips to confirm weather or condition of the runway prior to commencement of flights to prevent costly accidents and flight abortions which are costly.
Romo added that the complete set of HF Radio cost about K17,000 excluding labour and transportation for installation and to get it for the 30 airstrips will cost around K510,000.
He said in order to attain their goal and reopen closed and new airstrips this year at least 75 percent of the budgeted amount be released during the first quarter period.
Romo added that their goals had not been achieved due to less or no funds being released each quarter in the previous years, however some of the rural airstrips have been maintained to minimal safe standards resulting in MAF resuming flights into remote areas of the province.
He urged the Minister for Transport and other local MPs including RAA to put in some funding to maintain and rehabilitate airstrips in Madang.