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CPA hosts regional aviation workshop
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Posted on Jan 16 2001
The Commonwealth Ports Authority is seeking the participation of over 80 airports and airlines officials throughout the region to the Pacific Aviation Directors’ Workshop scheduled to be held on Saipan next month.
The aviation officials from islands around the American Pacific and the mainland United States are expected to gather at the Hyatt Regency-Saipan to discuss aviation safety in a two-day workshop sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to Board Chair Roman S. Palacios, the workshop is aimed at discussing future improvements and continued maintenance of the air transport facilities in the several Pacific-island states that are under the administration of the FAA.
He added measures to improve revenue-generating capabilities of the island-states’ airports will also be tackled during the two-day conference.
At the same time, discussion on airport responsibilities during an aircraft disaster will also be an integral part of the workshop set from February 7-9, 2001.
The workshop will highlight the reports on the accomplishments of airport administrations throughout the mainland U.S. and the American Pacific.
This early, CPA is already poised at making Northern Marianas airports at par with facilities from other countries, by crafting a long-term improvement plan for the Saipan International Airport that includes the expansion of its runway safety zone.
CPA’s efforts in drawing up plans aimed at improving the islands’ transit facilities have been prompted by problems relating to transportation which have long been identified to be major a major factor in the apparently stagnating economic activity in the CNMI.
The agency is also looking at expanding the runway of the Saipan International Airport from 8,600 feet to 10,600 feet since its current capacity restricts the facility from accommodating direct flights from the mainland U.S., a government report said.
At present, the airport can only receive flights from the closer Asian cities. The facility hosts an air carrier apron that has parking position for six aircraft. With these, it can accommodate expected growth in the tourism industry in the near future even without expansion.
