Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have undertaken as a direct consequence of the recommendations and observations regarding operational limitations set out in paragraphs 7.57–7.82 and 13.133 of the 2005 report by Atkins Management Consultants <i>St Helena Access Feasibility Study: Final Report</i>.

The operational limitations set out in paragraphs 7.57 to 7.67 of the Atkins’ Feasibility Study refer to work undertaken to assess the feasibility of a 1,400 m landing runway. This option was not adopted and the St Helena Airport has landing runways of 1,550 m from the north, and 1,535 m from the south. This addresses the limitation referred to. With regard to cargo provision, the proposed Comair flights were to have carried a minimum of one tonne of air freight, and the St Helena Government has already entered into a contract for sea freight on a commercial basis.

Paragraphs 7.68 to 7.81 concern the procurement of an air service which was undertaken through competitive tender in 2014 and resulted in the appointment of Comair to provide scheduled services.

Paragraphs 7.82 and 13.113 both refer to the requirement for flight trials to be carried out. Flight trials were undertaken on 2 May 2007 and concluded that turbulence at the North and South ends of the runway was acceptable.