Grand Case-Espérance Airport

L'Espérance Airport Grand Case Airport Aérodrome de Grand-Case Espérance
Passengers deboard an Air Caraïbes ATR 72 at L'Espérance Airport (2015)
IATA: SFG ICAO: TFFG
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Mairie de Saint-Martin
Serves	Saint-Martin
Location	Grand-Case
Elevation AMSL	20 ft / 6 m
Coordinates	18°06′02″N 063°02′56″W / 18.10056°N 63.04889°W / 18.10056; -63.04889Coordinates: 18°06′02″N 063°02′56″W / 18.10056°N 63.04889°W / 18.10056; -63.04889
Website	saintmartin-airport.com
Map
TFFG Location in Saint-Martin
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 12/30 1,200 3,937 Asphalt
Statistics (2014)
Passengers 192,260 Passenger Change 13-14 3.2%
Sources: French AIP,[1] iata.org[2]

L'Espérance Airport^[3][4] (IATA: SFG^[2], ICAO: TFFG^[1]), also known as Grand Case Airport (French: Aérodrome de Grand-Case Espérance), is a public use airport located in Grand Case, on the French side (Saint Martin) of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The airport is used mainly used for flights by regional passenger aircraft (ATR) flying to Guadeloupe and Saint Barth, as well as used by private aircraft.

Grand Case airport is managed by EDEIS, a major player in airport operations and engineering in France where it manages 18 airports.

In 2017, a 5.6 million euro renovation to the airport was completed that included a modernized terminal building, fire station upgrade, extended parking apron, and new control tower. In 2018 a new hangar for line maintenance purposes was completed.

The airport targets for 200,000 passenger movements a year.

Tower

The control-tower of PJIA Air Traffic Control at Princess Juliana Airport on the Dutch side of St.Maarten has two radar systems at their disposal with a range of 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) and 250 NM (460 km; 290 mi). PJIA air traffic control manages 4,000 sq nmi (14,000 km²; 5,300 sq mi) of airspace around the airport. Besides providing approach, tower and ground control at PJIA, Juliana air traffic services also provides approach control for Grand Case airport.

Runway and facilities

Incoming aircraft approach the island on short final for runway 12 over the bay of Grand-Case, with a corresponding view. When wind direction changes, which is common, incoming airplanes approach the island on short final for runway 30, in the opposite direction.

Larger aircraft such as the ATR 72-500 powerback after lining up on the runway for departure, due to the short runway.

The runway will be extended from 1,200 to 1,500 meters. The Collectivité St.Martin has acquired the necessary land in 2017. The extension is projected to be finalized towards the end of 2020. The runway extension will permit larger aircraft to use the airport thus increasing the economic activity and turnover of arrivals and departures.

The regional Espérance Airport at Grand Case allows the quickest transfers for commercial inter-island aircraft and for private aircraft. Operators are required to give a 24-hour notice to the Airport Authorities before landing.

Airlines and destinations

The following commercial airlines provide scheduled passenger service:^[3]

Joint border control with the Kingdom of the Netherlands

In 1994, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France signed the Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls, which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights". After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in the Netherlands, and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Though the treaty is now in force, its provisions are not yet implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed.

References