Hewanorra International Airport
Encyclopedia
Hewanorra International Airport , near Vieux Fort Quarter
, Saint Lucia
, in the Caribbean
, is the larger of the country's two airport
s and is managed by the Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority (SLASPA).
The airport is a Fire Category 9 airport that handles 500,000 passengers a year and has the capability to handle the Boeing 747
, Airbus A330
, Airbus A340
, Boeing 777
and other similar aircraft. Aircraft maintenance there is carried out by Caribbean Dispatch Services. George F. L. Charles Airport
is located in Castries
and handles inter-Caribbean flights.
. Beane Field was activated in early 1941 with a mission to defend Saint Lucia against an enemy attack.
The former USAF base was then refurbished and converted into a commercial airport. There is a disused northeast/southwest runway north of the main east-west runway that was part of the military airfield. It is in poor condition, along with a few dispersals.
, Airbus A380
, Boeing 777
and other similar aircraft. The new design will reduce airport congestion and improve passenger comfort and create a positive passenger experience. Work on the airport will take about two years. Work is set to begin in July 2011.
operating a flight from Toronto, caught a wind shear while on approach to Hewanorra international airport on 19 February 1979. The windshear caused the aircraft to halt its descent while already over the threshold. The copilot who was flying at that time retarded the throttles, however at that very moment the aircraft had passed the windshear zone and the nose of the aircraft slammed into the runway and bounced twice, destroying the nose landing gear. There were no fatalities and minor injuries in this incident. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and was written off.
British Airways
flight 2158 ran off the end of the runway while taxiing to its take off point on a departure from Hewanorra International Airport to London-Gatwick on 6 June 2010. The nose wheel dug a large semi-circular furrow in the soft ground as the pilot attempted the required 180° turn, fortunately the rear wheels remained on the tarmac. It took a while for the aircraft Boeing 777-200
to be removed after which it was deemed undamaged and made its fight to Gatwick some 30 hours later. A few flights were diverted to other airports because of the incident. There were no injuries or fatalities.
Vieux Fort Quarter
Vieux Fort is located in the southern part of St. Lucia. It is the second-largest town on the island and is the home of St Lucia's international airport, Hewanorra International Airport....
, Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
, in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, is the larger of the country's two airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s and is managed by the Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority (SLASPA).
The airport is a Fire Category 9 airport that handles 500,000 passengers a year and has the capability to handle the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, Airbus A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
, Airbus A340
Airbus A340
The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
, Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
and other similar aircraft. Aircraft maintenance there is carried out by Caribbean Dispatch Services. George F. L. Charles Airport
George F. L. Charles Airport
- Charter :-Cargo Services:* Federal Express* DHL* Ameriflight* Corporate Air...
is located in Castries
Castries
Castries , population 10,634, aggl. 37,963 , is the capital city of Saint Lucia, a country in the Caribbean. The district with the same name had a population of 61,341 in 2001-05-22, and stretches over an area of ....
and handles inter-Caribbean flights.
History
Hewanorra International Airport was originally named Beane Army Airfield and was used as a military airfield by the United States Army Air Force Sixth Air Force and used in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Beane Field was activated in early 1941 with a mission to defend Saint Lucia against an enemy attack.
The former USAF base was then refurbished and converted into a commercial airport. There is a disused northeast/southwest runway north of the main east-west runway that was part of the military airfield. It is in poor condition, along with a few dispersals.
Expansion
As the amount of airtraffic handled at Hewanorra International Airport is steadily increasing every year,St.Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority has requested and received a master plan for the redevleopment and redisign of HIA. There has been much controversy surrounding the project as some say, at an estimated cost of US $160 million, it could set back the country's economy. Many have argued and said that expanding the airport will expand the country's economic outlook. the new terminal design includes: construction of a new terminal building, installation of jet bridges, a new modern control tower, increase in aircraft apron parking positions from five to eight in phase 1 of the project and then to twelve in phase 2; development of a Fixed Base Operation (FBO); redevelopment and relocation of a new air cargo facility; and construction of a new carpark and road infrastructure network. As the projections indicate, passenger throughput is expected to increase by aprox. 750,000 passengers. The new terminal building is proposed to be constructed in stages consistent with passenger growth. The facility will improve the airport's aesthetcs by separating cargo from commercial aircraft and will be able to handle large aircraft such as Boeing 747Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
, Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
and other similar aircraft. The new design will reduce airport congestion and improve passenger comfort and create a positive passenger experience. Work on the airport will take about two years. Work is set to begin in July 2011.
Airlines and destinations
Airlines serving this airport are:Charter
Accidents and incidents
Quebec Air flight 714, a Boeing 707Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
operating a flight from Toronto, caught a wind shear while on approach to Hewanorra international airport on 19 February 1979. The windshear caused the aircraft to halt its descent while already over the threshold. The copilot who was flying at that time retarded the throttles, however at that very moment the aircraft had passed the windshear zone and the nose of the aircraft slammed into the runway and bounced twice, destroying the nose landing gear. There were no fatalities and minor injuries in this incident. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and was written off.
British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
flight 2158 ran off the end of the runway while taxiing to its take off point on a departure from Hewanorra International Airport to London-Gatwick on 6 June 2010. The nose wheel dug a large semi-circular furrow in the soft ground as the pilot attempted the required 180° turn, fortunately the rear wheels remained on the tarmac. It took a while for the aircraft Boeing 777-200
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
to be removed after which it was deemed undamaged and made its fight to Gatwick some 30 hours later. A few flights were diverted to other airports because of the incident. There were no injuries or fatalities.