Tinian cancels ILS project

After seven years of pushing for the installation of an instrument landing system on Tinian, the Tinian Legislative Delegation finally gave up on the project, diverting the $3.5 million allocated to the project to other pressing needs of the island’s airport and seaport.

Tinian Legislative Delegation chair Sen. Jude Hofschneider (R-Tinian) confirmed yesterday that the delegation cancelled the ILS project on July 21.

The move was in consultation with the Tinian municipality, Commonwealth Ports Authority, and the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino and its partners, according to the lawmaker.

An ILS is a ground-based instrument approach system that guides an aircraft in approaching and landing on a runway using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays during cases of reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or snow.

The project has been on the drawing board for the Tinian airport since 2005, with an initial funding of $3.5 million obtained from the Office of Insular Affairs.

The Federal Aviation Administration supported the idea but did not approve funding the project. The FAA was willing to install and maintain the ILS on Tinian, but its initial cost would have to be shouldered by the local government.

Hofschneider said the delegation has already informed OIA about this latest development but there has been no response from the agency as of press time.

He affirmed that the $3.5 million has already been diverted to other airport projects on Tinian. Close to $500,000 is being used for the emergency replacement of bollards at the Tinian harbor, which is about to collapse. Unless this rehabilitation work is done soon, the Tinian harbor would be unable to accommodate bigger shipments such as fuel tankers.

The remaining amount, Hofschneider said, will be used to rehabilitate the terminal, parking, and possibly the design for a planned storage fuel tank. If there’s still some money left, Hofschneider said they may use that to build the fuel tank.

Hofschneider could not say if the delegation will reconsider the ILS project in the future but described the issue “as a thing of the past.”

He said that, based on the information they got from partners like the Tinian Dynasty, which charters flights to the island, aircrafts wanting to land on Tinian could do so without an ILS. These airplanes are from Asian countries.

Tinian Dynasty was among those that supported the installation of an ILS on Tinian. When asked about the company’s change of position, Hofschneider said this is perhaps due to the “changes in navigational systems” nowadays.

Hofschneider cited the airports on Rota and the Federates States of Micronesia where 737 aircraft land safely without an ILS.

CPA executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero welcomed yesterday the decision to divert the $3.5 million ILS funds to address other important needs of the Tinian airport. He confirmed meeting with the delegation and the municipality on specific projects that could be funded by the ILS funds.

He said portions of the money could be used to procure a cargo conveyor, build stairs for deplaning passengers, and to satisfy other requirements of the Transportation Security Administration.

“Now that Tinian is expressing ILS is not anymore needed, the money can be expended for other important needs that will prepare the airport to be able to receive direct flights,” he said, adding that CPA will continue work with the delegation and the municipality to expedite these projects.

He reiterated the lack of need for an ILS at the Tinian airport, saying this equipment may possibly even become obsolete in the future.