Wide body plane lands at CJIA
The new runway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) was tested on Friday after one of the largest airplanes to land there, delivered ballot papers for the March 2 elections. The Atlas Air (747-400) N475MC cargo aircraft landed at 6:15 am, the airport said in a Facebook post. According to the airport, the Atlas Air, considered a very large cargo aircraft that is available for lease around the world, was the first aircraft to utilise the newly constructed apron at the airport for Code D and E-sized aircrafts.
“All hands were on deck to ensure a seamless landing and takeoff process, when this aircraft arrived with its sensitive and delicate Government cargo. Clearly, from the results of the operations earlier, Guyana has shown its growing capacity to handle the demands that will come from its emerging economy,” the airport said. The Boeing 747-400 at its maximum takeoff weight of 800,000 lbs. would usually require an expansive runway capacity for landing or takeoff and CJIA was able to meet this requirement. “We are very happy that we were able to execute this operation without any major challenges, despite our limitations,” the airport said.
“It was a historic experience that has highlighted the efficiency of our services, such as ground handling, Air Traffic Control Services and the CJIAC team, among others to collectively demonstrate the importance of teamwork to execute this operation.”
The landing of the aircraft landed at a time when the airport itself is facing criticisms for a project that stretched past more than nine years ago.
The then government under Bharrat Jagdeo signed a US$150M deal for a new terminal building and a longer runway.
However, the project was hugely modified by the Coalition Government, which claimed that the project was badly managed and it faced a choice to abandon it altogether or make changes.
The old terminal building was gutted and renovated. It was not long before a number of problems started to manifest.
The project is considered one of the largest infrastructural one by the government at the moment, but is about five years past the official deadline.
(Kaieteur News)