Ogle Airport commissions $70M ‘foxtrot’ taxiway
Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma with the assistance of GCAA Director-General, Egbert Fields cuts the ceremonial ribbon to declare the facility open. Watching on is CEO of OAI, Anthony Mekdeci (first left) and OAI’s Public Relations Consultant, Kit Nascimento (Delano Williams photo)
Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma with the assistance of GCAA Director-General, Egbert Fields cuts the ceremonial ribbon to declare the facility open. Watching on is CEO of OAI, Anthony Mekdeci (first left) and OAI’s Public Relations Consultant, Kit Nascimento (Delano Williams photo)

– new extension will minimise aircraft runway occupancy time

OGLE Airport Inc (OAI) has commissioned a $70 million taxiway facility at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport (EFCIA) with the aim of substantially facilitating air traffic control and minimising aircraft runway occupancy time.

“The new taxiway will vastly improve efficiency and economy of the aircraft operations when taxiing to and from the runway and greatly reduce runway occupancy time,” said OAI’s Public Relations Consultant, Kit Nascimento.

He spoke on behalf of OAI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Col. Ret’d Anthony Mekdeci, during the commissioning ceremony for the taxiway, on Thursday.
Nascimento said the new development will also improve the safety of fixed wing aircraft and helicopter operations at the EFCIA. The new taxiway, Taxiway Foxtrot, connects Taxiway Bravo and Charlie to the main runway. The airport operates a single runway system.

Construction of the facility commenced in March 2019 and was completed in August 2019. The taxiway is 200 metres long by 15 metres, meeting the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirement.

The Pavement Classification Number of the taxiway is 16-R/B/X/T. This is in excess of the Aircraft Classification Number of the Aircraft types similar of Liat’s ATR 72 aircraft.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma commended the airport for taking the step to construct the new facility.

“The initiative of Ogle Airport Inc and management to have this taxiway to address the many complaints that would have reached the board in relation to the length of time to access the runway, is a good one,” said Minister Sharma.

The complaints would have prompted the airport to commission foxtrot to address a number of issues, including the issue of security.

“The new taxiway not only represents the continued growth and development of the airport but the growth of the local aviation industry,” said Director- General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Fields.

He said the taxiway will be a part of the existing system of taxiways and will help to expedite traffic. With an expected increase in traffic, the construction of the new facility is viewed as a timely investment.

According to Fields, the EFCIA is one of the busiest aerodromes in the Caribbean. The EFCIA currently services, on average, 120 aircraft movements (landings and take offs) per day.

He said the airport being the busiest is as a result of the budding oil and gas industry and the consistent interest in mining.

In order to get up-to-date with the performance of the airport, the GCAA has embarked on making the necessary arrangements for assessment of the facility to be conducted. According to Fields, the authority has been in contact with ICAO, asking for a consultant to visit Guyana and aid in the assessment.

Meanwhile, as a matter of safety, the airport has engaged the GCAA to establish an area where helicopters can operate without mixing with fixed wing aircraft and passengers.
Operators have taken up this concept and Air Services Ltd, Trans Guyana Airways, Jags Aviation Inc are all constructing helicopter aprons in preparation.

Ogle Airport Inc has been working diligently since 2001 to improve operations at the airport and ensure compliance with the GCAA regulations and ICAO standards and recommended practices.

Recently, the airport acquired a 50-year lease, allowing for sub-lessees to enjoy more confidence in their significant investments.

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