Canouan Airport

Canouan Airport
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Serves Canouan
Location Charlestown
Opened May 11, 2008 (2008-05-11)[1]
Focus city for SVG Air
Time zone AST (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL 11 ft / 3 m
Coordinates 12°41′57″N 061°20′33″W / 12.69917°N 61.34250°W / 12.69917; -61.34250Coordinates: 12°41′57″N 061°20′33″W / 12.69917°N 61.34250°W / 12.69917; -61.34250
Map
TVSC
Location in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
13/31 5,875 1,791 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[2][3]

Canouan Airport (IATA: CIW, ICAO: TVSC) is the airport located on the island of Canouan in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.[2] The airport is built in traditional Grenadines style with an open-air terminal with roof covered in cane palm fronds, its wooden walls and columns made of eucalyptus logs. The terminal architecture is based on the Native indigenous people of the Caribbean Tainos and Arawak structures, giving passengers a paradise feeling. The terminal has a CIP (Commercially Important People) lounge.

A land reclamation project and runway extension were completed at the end of March 2008. Overall runway length increased from 3,455 to 5,875 ft (1,053 to 1,791 m).[4] This extension of the runway makes the airport accessible by a larger number of aircraft and can now accommodate jets such as the Boeing B737 and Airbus A320 carrying over one hundred and twenty passengers from Europe, North and South America. Before the runway extension, the ATR 72 of American Eagle (Executive Airlines) was the largest aircraft to serve the airport. In 2010 American Eagle ended daily flights from San Juan to Canouan.[5] In addition to the runway extension, the control tower was raised some 3 m (10 ft) and the arrivals terminal was also extended to accommodate the increasing aviation services and visitors to the island.

Canouan Airport is a small but bustling one that plays an important role in the growing economy of Canouan. Luxury tourism and real-estate contribute significantly to the island's economy and Canouan is popular with private jet travelers around the world.

SVG Air, is a national airline of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, along with Mustique Airways. SVG Air and Mustique Airways have combined to form a SVG Air / Grenadine Air Alliance, operating 17 Aircraft, with bases in St. Vincent, Antigua and Grenada.[6] Offering visitors and residents a wider choice of International Gateways in and out of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

History

Plane Landing at Canouan

Canouan airport was initially constructed some 20 years ago to a standard of an earth runway strip. In 1987/88 the airport was upgraded by construction of a bituminous surface dressing with a length of 1,800 ft (548 m) and a width of 60 ft (18 m).

In the following years serious deterioration caused a reduction of aircraft movements from 8,000 in 1988 to 2,000 in 1991. Since the bulk of passenger transport to and from the island is channeled through the airport, the unsatisfactory conditions on the runway and in the terminal jeopardized the economic development of Canouan. In the early 90ies programs have been launched to attract tourism and to improve the island's facilities. It goes without saying that the rehabilitation and upgrading of the island's airport is an investment of first priority to the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the future welfare of Canouan and the neighboring islands in the southern part of the country.

Based on the positive development of tourism, it was recognized in 2003 that upgrading of the runways for jet operations was essential. It was determined that land had to be reclaimed and the runway extended. In a first phase KOCKS CONSULT GMBH provided services for:

  • Comprehensive field investigation and laboratory testing to determine existing pavement and subsoil condition.
  • Inventories of the ecological situation.
  • Topographical survey
  • Collection of data and information on previous and present air traffic.
  • Determination of a reference aircraft.
  • Determination of the essential length of runways.
  • Environmental assessment study.
  • Study on economic feasibility.
  • An estimation of costs.

All data and findings were compiled in the "Assessment of Principal Solutions" report. The new airport comprises an asphalt concrete runway of 1,790 m x 30 m with lighting and APAPI, a taxiway and apron as well as a terminal, fire station and service buildings.[7]

In 2011 Sewells Paving completed the paving of an eight and a half acre addition to the Canouan International Airport. The expansion to the airport apron was for additional airplane parking. The apron was built and paved to stand the load of a 737 jet.[8]

Canouan Island has positioned itself at the epicenter of a new tourism attraction for the entire region and is now a popular private jet destination for those transferring to yachts.

Overview

Canouan Airport from across the bay

Since Canouan Airport is accessible for virtually all private jets without payload restrictions, it is now the Jetport of the Grenadines. During peak season sometimes 18 private jets could be seen on the apron on a given day, some arriving from as far afield as London on direct flights. There is virtually no private jet that can’t land here now. The airport handles turboprop, narrow-body and wide-body jet aircraft movements.

Canouan Airport is well equipped to handle private jets with minimum departure and arrival delays, while hosting over 123 private jets at the airport in December.[9] The airport is moderately busy with mostly private jet traffic. Two locally owned Fixed-base operators, Canouan Aviation Services and Vincy Aviation Services, supply fuel, hangar space and other services to inbound and outbound passengers and operators.

For those arriving with their own private jet and wishing to stay at the exclusive resorts on Mustique, Palm Island or Petit St. Vincent (PSV), their respective staff will make arrangements for your jet to be accommodated at Canouan Island Airport along with a Twin Otter Aircraft exclusive transfer or private boat transfer from Canouan to your respective exclusive hideaway.

With the new 120-berth luxury super-yacht Glossy Bay Marina[10] (the island’s Camper and Nicholson marina, owned by Sandy Lane’s Irish billionaire owner, Dermot Desmond), which boundaries with the Canouan Airport; the ultra 5 star luxurious Pink Sands Club[11][12] (formerly the Grenadines Estate Golf Club and previously Raffles Resort with Trump International Golf Club and Casino[13]), championship 18-hole, par 72, Jim Fazio-designed golf course set in 300 acres of a 1,200-acre estate, which forms the focal point of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on the island; Tamarind Beach Hotel & Yacht Club and the Grenadines Estate private villas. Pink Sands Club, Canouan, was rebranded Mandarin Oriental, Canouan on July 03, 2018,[14] and they have launched two luxury packages: "Land & Sea in Luxury" and "Jet Away & Play."[15] This is Mandarin Oriental's first Caribbean resort.

This 3.5s square mile island positions itself as “the ultimate luxury destination of the Caribbean.” Canouan was one of the locations of the Sports Illustrated 2009 Swimsuit Edition.[16]

Achievements of this magnitude would have been impossible to imagine twenty years ago. As recently as 1960, Canouan Island had zero infrastructures. The population was enduring blatantly impoverished conditions. They did not have a single jetty, airport or road and the only car belonged to the one policeman. There was no power source, clean drinking water, telephones, in-door plumbing, schools or doctor and only a primitive ferry system. Their sole source of income was from the sea.

Facilities

Canouan control tower
Leaving Canouan

The airport resides at an elevation of 11 ft (3.4 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 13/31 with an asphalt surface measuring 1,791 m × 30 m (5,876 ft × 98 ft).

The airport has also just commissioned NDB/DME navigation equipment to complement the runway extension.

Canouan Airport falls under category six (6) of the Aerodrome Category (ICAO Index).

Airlines and destinations

LIAT's Dash 8-300
Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 650
American Eagle ATR 72
AirlinesDestinations
Fly One Caribbean Charter: Barbados, Bequia, St. Vincent-Argyle
Grenadine Airways Charter: Barbados, Bequia, Saint Lucia– Hewanorra, St. Vincent-Argyle, Union Island
LIATBarbados[17](route paused)
Mustique Airways[18] Barbados, Bequia, Mustique, St. Vincent-Argyle, Union Island
Charter: Grenada, Martinique, Saint Lucia–Charles, Saint Lucia– Hewanorra
SVG Air[19] Barbados, Saint Lucia– Hewanorra[20], St. Vincent-Argyle
Charter: Antigua, Bequia, Grenada, Mustique, Union Island

Notable flights

In October 2013, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83[21] landed at the airport carrying the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour.

Other facilities

Incidents and accidents

  • 19 November 2006 - SVG Air Aero Commander 500S, on a flight from Canouan to Saint Vincent, was over the western end of Bequia on its final approach to Saint Vincent when it vanished. There was no distress call. Wreckage was found in the sea. The pilot and single passenger are presumed dead.[22]
  • 5 August 2010 - SVG Aircraft on a flight from Saint Vincent to Canouan crashed off Canouan with only the pilot on board - not found.[23]

Controversy

The go-it-alone Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is about to invest tens of millions of dollars in borrowed government money to construct a 7,000 feet airport on Canouan. Why such a big airport? Make no mistake about this, it is to accommodate the state of the art (gold plated interior decorated) converted Boeing 747 private jet of the New York playboy and wannabe billionaire, Donald Trump, who has a controlling interest in Canouan.[24] Incidentally, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves was RECENTLY wined, dined and mesmerized at Trump Palace in New York City. The Prime Minister then signed a (yet to be publicly disclosed) agreement with Donald Trump. The 7,000-foot jetport then evolved into a financial millstone, which the Prime Minister placed firmly around the necks of current and future generations of Vincentian taxpayers.[25]

After Conquering the Real Estate Market on the Island of Manhattan, Donald J. Trump Moves on to Canouan Island in First Caribbean Venture.[26] Canouan was also a bit of a Donald Trump theme park, what with its Trump Monte Carlo casino, its Jim Fazio-designed Trump International Golf Club and its Donald J. Trump luxury villas.[27] Thankfully, there have been welcome changes since then. The casino went bust and is now a hurricane shelter. The resort was bulldozed. Raffles abandoned the Caribbean and Donald J. Trump left town.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "New EC 58 million airport opened at Canouan". Searchlight Newspaper. 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  2. 1 2 Airport information for TVSC at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.Source: DAFIF.
  3. ↑ Airport information for CIW at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  4. ↑ "Work begins on extension of the Canouan Airport". Searchlight Newspaper. 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  5. ↑ American Eagle ends flights to CanouanDominica News Online
  6. ↑ Ben Harrison - International Correspondent (17 February 2017). "SVG Air / Grenadine Air Alliance: Bridging the gap". The Vencentian Newspaper.
  7. ↑ Rehabilitation of Canouan Airport Development aid
  8. ↑ Airport expansionSewells Paving
  9. ↑ Canouan sets record with 123 private jets in Decemberelite traveler: Travel News
  10. ↑ Glossy Bay Marina opens for business April 17, 2017 The Irish Times
  11. ↑ Ultra-luxe Pink Sands ClubOcean Home Magazine
  12. ↑ Pink Sands Club joins Mandarin-OrientalCaribbeanTravel.com
  13. ↑ Ben Harrison - International Correspondent (24 April 2015). "The island of Canouan – a developer's dream". The Vencentian Newspaper.
  14. ↑ Gay Nagle Myers-Contributing Editor (3 July 2018). "Canouan resort flies Mandarin Oriental flag". Travel Weekly.
  15. ↑ Canouan luxury yacht and private jet getaways
  16. ↑ 2009 Sports Illustrated - swimsuit edition
  17. ↑ "Liat resumes Barbados Canouan flights". Travel Weekly. Sep 23, 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  18. ↑ Mustique Airways – Scheduled flights 2017 - 2018
  19. ↑ SVG Air – Scheduled flights retrieved 11 March 2018
  20. ↑ SVG Air launches St Lucia Canouan service
  21. ↑ "FIFA world cup trophy stops by on Vincentian soil". Searchlight Newspaper. 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  22. ↑ Searchlight Newspaper 22 November 2006
  23. ↑ "Search still On For Missing St Vincent Pilot". Jamaica-Gleaner.com. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  24. ↑ Trump golf course development in Canouan a disappointmentMarch 20, 2017 Forbes magazine
  25. ↑ Randy Aberdeen (13 August 2004). "International airport – Canouan or Argyle". Searchlight Newspaper. (Our readers opinions).
  26. ↑ Donald Trump Launches Sales of Trump Island Villas in the Grenadines. itravel magazine
  27. ↑ Chris Caldicott (14 November 2016). "An escape to Canouan Island's Pink Sands Club, now a Donald Trump-free zone". The Telegraph.
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