Previous Story
San Nicolas: ILS to boost Tinian’s attractiveness
|
Posted on Apr 26 2006
While he acknowledges that Tinian International Airport is safe without an instrument landing system, Tinian Mayor Jose San Nicolas said the installation of an ILS would make Tinian “much safer” and “a more attractive destination.”
“That’s why I’m pushing for an ILS. By law, yes, the airport is safe but if you have an ILS, it’s safer. It’s very important to prevent accidents,” he said.
He said attracting airlines would be easier if the airport has the equipment.
“Tinian will be more attractive businesswise. As a business, you have to look at safety first,” said the mayor.
Local authorities have said that Chinese Southern Airlines and Chinese Eastern Airlines have intimated that they would land on Tinian directly, instead of Saipan, upon the installation of an ILS.
Both airlines fly chartered flights from Guangzho and Shanghai to Saipan twice a week, bringing in mostly Tinian-bound tourists.
In an earlier interview, Commonwealth Ports Authority officials said that the Tinian airport has been open for direct flights since its inauguration.
In view of the Chinese flights, CPA said that that the Federal Aviation Administration is willing to train pilots to land on Tinian using Saipan International Airport’s ILS.
Meantime, San Nicolas said that he would formally request the local delegation to reprogram capital improvement funds for the purchase and installation of an ILS on Tinian.
“We talked about it. We’d use CIP funding to fund this project,” he said.
Initial estimate showed Tinian’s ILS would cost $3.5 million.
The Mayor’s Office expressed confidence that the cost could go down significantly by getting a less costly contractor for the installation and acquiring a more modern ILS system which would not require major ground work.
