SECOND CALIBRATION FLIGHT

The second round of Calibration Flights is planned to take place between Sunday 13 December and Sunday 20 December 2015.  The calibration flights are essential to calibrate navigational aids at St Helena Airport in order that Instrument Flight Procedures can be flown safely.

The calibration tests will be undertaken by Flight Calibration Services Limited who will travel to St Helena on an aircraft leased from TAB in South Africa.

Whilst final confirmation on timing is still awaited, the aircraft is expected to arrive on the afternoon of Sunday 13 December, subject to suitable weather conditions and other factors.

Further updates, particularly on the timing of the flight, will be provided in due course. Interested members of the public are asked to listen out for radio updates.

Vantage Points and Vehicles

The same arrangements will apply as for the first calibration flight on 15 September.  The public is therefore reminded that there is no public access to the Airport Site.

Members of the public will be able to view the landing of the aircraft from vantage points at Millennium Forest, Horse Point and Bradleys.  Other vantage points, such as Woody Ridge, will be available – but there will be no traffic management at those places. The public is therefore asked to take extra care when driving to and parking at other vantage points on the Island.

Basil Read has granted permission for part of the Access Road, normally closed to the public, to be used as part of a one way system on the day to alleviate congestion. To approach the vantage points below, vehicles will be allowed through Longwood Gate and through to Bottom Woods. To return, vehicles will be directed past Reggie’s Takeaway at Bottom Woods, along the Access Road, through to Foxy’s Garage at Deadwood and then back to Longwood Gate (See attached map).

The entrance to Fisher’s Valley will be closed to all traffic other than residents.

Bradley’s Camp/Garage Area

• The Airport site will remain off-limits to the general public.  A barricade will be in place just before the turning to Bradley’s Camp to mark the area that is out of bounds.
• A viewing area before the barricade will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Millennium Forest

• A good view can be had from the Millennium Forest. There will be limited parking available.

 Access Road

• Exceptionally, parking will be allowed on this day on the left hand side of the Access Road from the area of Reggie’s Takeaway at Bottom Woods to the barricade at Bradley’s. Vehicles should be parked sensibly to facilitate emergency vehicle access to the Airport and the Waste Management Facility at Horse Point.

 Horse Point

• On the day, Horse Point will only be accessible on foot – this is to protect Wirebird nests and other endemic species from accidental damage. A barrier to vehicles will be in place along the track that leads to Horse Point, just past the Waste Management Facility.
• Limited parking will be available at the Waste Management Facility itself, but all vehicles will need to vacate the site by 3pm on Sunday 13 December. The Waste Management Facility will be secured at this point and will reopen to the public on Monday 14 December.
• The public should be mindful that Horse Point is an environmentally sensitive area and care should be taken when moving around that area.

SHG

10 December 2015