Runway length doesn't have to be an issue...

http://www.chelbi.net/mi17/pass_mi17.php

I'm certain Mr. Grief knows a lot more about the Belize airline business than I do, so I'll shut up.

--Lan Sluder

Jet fuel is almost the same as diesel?

"Since such an aircraft would necessarily be a twin engine, commercial twin engine aircraft are required to reach flying speed and lose an engine and either get airborne or come to a complete stop in a certain distance. This is called the "balance field length".
This term is referred to as "accelerate stop distance", and "accelerate go distance" Runway length does play a pivotal roll in whether or not small commercial airliners can land there, however this is merely FAA standards, and as we know things are always different in Belize
As for "jet fuel" it is similar qualities and you can run a diesel engine off of jet fuel,

Good info, I always thought jet fuel was a higher grade gasoline, not heavy like diesel. Always learn something new! Now that you mention it we stood behind a Maya flight taking off last week and it smelled like kerosene fumes.

that is not the experience i have had. aviation fuel, av gas, is sometimes used in gasoline engines that have increased compression, with mixed results. it is in no way a replacement for diesel fuel.

That is what I was always told before. Kids in HS used to say they would use AV gas at the drags. Or is there a difference between AV fuel and Jet fuel?

AV gas is used in internal combustion engines. The Caravans used here are turboprops, using jet (kerosene) fuel.

i pumped Jet A and av gas for 2 years, that jet fuel smell never goes away. AV GAS= is used in piston powered aircraft, it has a high octane rate, they use it in drag cars because of the high octane and it burns clean, Jet A : is similar to diesel in octane levels it has several other additives/ hydrocarbons. The caravans (Tropic Air) run off Jet A, which I believe they only refuel at the international airport??, You could throw a lit cigarette into a bucket of jet fuel and it would put the cigarette out, if you threw a cigarette in a bucket of av gas, you wouldn't be here!!!

Thanks, that makes more sense. That is why the Maya plane exhaust smelled just like kero. Diesel is almost impossible to ignite unless you add an accelerant, kero, gas etc.