newstodate.aero
Sep 03, 2015 (newstodate): Probably overtaken by only Scotland's Loch Ness monster in persistence, the discussion in Greenland about the country's airports infrastructure is alive and kicking - but so far without any concrete manifestations.
-There is probably a general consensus among politicians and the public that Greenland needs a long-term plan for its airports, says a centrally-placed Greenlandic aviation specialist who prefers to remain anonymous.
-Today, only two airports in Greenland are capable of accepting Transatlantic flights with larger aircraft like the Airbus A330. But they are both located far away from the larger population centers and the capital of Greenland, Nuuk, the airport of which allows only traffic by regional aircraft due to a short runway.
-Discussions are therefore constantly raging over which, if any, of the existing Transatlantic airport will be maintained in the future, and where would be the best location for construction of a new larger airport, or redevelopment of an existing airport with new runways and other facilities.
-Recently, the focus has been on a project for an airport on Greenland's northwest coast, near Ilullisat. The project named Newport calls for an extension of the existing runway from 845m to 1,799m, upgrading of equipment and construction of a new passenger terminal at a cost of estimated 700 mio Danish Kroner.
-The problem is the financing. Greenland's own economy is not in its best shape and funds available for maintenance and operation of the existing airports are limited.
-Below these speculations lies, however, the crucial fact that the main Transatlantic airport at Kangerlussuaq is badly in need of long-overdue runway maintenance and resurfacing.
-To sum it up: the money available for Greenland's airports are limited, and the cost of renovating the runway at Kangerlussuaq would by itself eliminate any possibility for Greenland to finance any alternative airport projects.
-So while heated discussions are rampant in Greenland, the truth is that a choice has to be made: either keep Kangerlussuaq running, or go for a new project!
-There is probably a general consensus among politicians and the public that Greenland needs a long-term plan for its airports, says a centrally-placed Greenlandic aviation specialist who prefers to remain anonymous.
-Today, only two airports in Greenland are capable of accepting Transatlantic flights with larger aircraft like the Airbus A330. But they are both located far away from the larger population centers and the capital of Greenland, Nuuk, the airport of which allows only traffic by regional aircraft due to a short runway.
-Discussions are therefore constantly raging over which, if any, of the existing Transatlantic airport will be maintained in the future, and where would be the best location for construction of a new larger airport, or redevelopment of an existing airport with new runways and other facilities.
-Recently, the focus has been on a project for an airport on Greenland's northwest coast, near Ilullisat. The project named Newport calls for an extension of the existing runway from 845m to 1,799m, upgrading of equipment and construction of a new passenger terminal at a cost of estimated 700 mio Danish Kroner.
-The problem is the financing. Greenland's own economy is not in its best shape and funds available for maintenance and operation of the existing airports are limited.
-Below these speculations lies, however, the crucial fact that the main Transatlantic airport at Kangerlussuaq is badly in need of long-overdue runway maintenance and resurfacing.
-To sum it up: the money available for Greenland's airports are limited, and the cost of renovating the runway at Kangerlussuaq would by itself eliminate any possibility for Greenland to finance any alternative airport projects.
-So while heated discussions are rampant in Greenland, the truth is that a choice has to be made: either keep Kangerlussuaq running, or go for a new project!