AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel Paving the Air Strip in San Pedro

Dont think so

Barry has a bridge named, not an airport.....

reduced in usable rwy, there is no transition

Whoever posted that picture needs to get their facts correct. The name as of 2010 is the John Grief 11 Airstrip. Right airstrip - wrong name.
Besides, if I crashed and died trying to land, I don't think I would want the airstrip named after me.

http://ambergristoday.com/content/s...irport-newly-named-john-greif-ii-airport

Well i find that suprising...but oh well.
Either way, Tropic Air will make SURE that the airstrip is not permenently shortened.
THAT I can assure you.

DC

the remaining 500+ feet will be resurfaced.

John Greif II Airstrip upgrade almost completed

Work at the John Greif II Airstrip in San Pedro is slowly winding down and should be completed within the next month. The confirmation was made by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Hon. Edmund "Clear the land" Castro. In December of 2010 $3.7 million was secured for the project through the Central American Corporation for Air Navigation Services (COCESNA).

The project started in January of 2011 and was scheduled for completion by July however progress was delayed several times due to weather. Speaking to The San Pedro Sun, Castro explained that works are almost completed and the new rehabilitated runway should be officially commissioned by July 2012. The rehabilitation on the John Greif II Airstrip was conducted in two phases. The fencing which was done by Graniel's Construction and the runway and lighting by Rodla's Construction, which were supervised by Thurton and Associates Engineering Firm through COCESNA in Belize.

A total length of 2800 feet by 46 feet of runway has been resurfaced using hot mix material that was barged in from the mainland. When officially commissioned, the airstrip will have complete fencing around the entire runway to prevent people from walking across the landing area. It will have world standard runway and pad lights to accommodate night flights especially during emergencies. The project, which started under the auspices of former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., is important for the tourism industry in Belize. According to Minister Castro, because the John Greif II Airstrip is one of the busiest in Belize and the region, making it up to "world standard" was important. Castro said that "San Pedro has the busiest airstrip in the entire region, not just in the country of Belize so it's very important that we upgrade this airstrip in San Pedro and bring it up to world class standards. Basically what we are doing is moving away from the chip and seal or chip and tar situation for the airstrips. We are using the hot mix. So it's a little bit more costly but nevertheless that's the standard now that we are trying to use on all the airstrips in the country because it will lasts longer."

While work is slowly winding down, the full length of the runway, measuring approximately 3500 feet was not totally resurfaced. Minister Castro explained that 588 feet of runway was not included under the original plan. "That 588 feet was never part of the design however we are currently speaking with COCESNA to see if we can get additional funding to repave the additional stretch of runway," said Castro. When asked if it was a miscalculation, Castro said that "It was not a miscalculation. It was simply never a part of the initial physical plan." The San Pedro Sun also asked if monies from the $5.00 Rider's Fee could be used to finance the additional 588 feet of pavement. Castro explained that the monies from the Rider's Fee is being set in a bank account and "it will be used to secure a loan from the Social Security Board specifically for the rehabilitation of the Belize City Municipal Airstrip."

That information is somewhat different from the original plan disclosed on Thursday December 16th, 2010 when the airstrip was renamed to the John Greif II Airstrip. At the ceremony, Heredia explained that the "entire runway" would be rehabilitated to accommodate "larger regional flights." Castro said that one of the priorities for the rehabilitation of the John Greif II Airstrip was to bring it up to "World standard" to accommodate local small carriers and not larger carriers.

With the upgrade of over 2800 feet of runway, local small carriers will be able to land without difficulties.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun

TO summarize:

"...San Pedro has the busiest airstrip in the entire region, not just in the country of Belize so it's very important that we...bring it up to world class standards"...the full length of the runway, measuring approximately 3500 feet was not totally resurfaced...(this) was not a miscalculation. It was simply never a part of the initial physical plan...(to bring the airstrip up to world class standards).

(*RING*RING* phone call in from Rep Herredia's Office then...)

"However we are currently speaking with COCESNA to see if we can get additional funding to repave the additional stretch of runway (and avoid any more questions about miscalculations)...

Not to mention stopping the phone calls from Area Reperesentative Herredia's Office

San Pedro Airstrip gets $3.7 million upgrade

A $3.7 million project to upgrade the San Pedro Airstrip, undertaken in partnership with Central American Corporation for Air Navigation Services (COCESNA), is nearing completion, Belize Airports Authority General Manager Kenworth Tillett told The Reporter on Monday, June 4.

Official inauguration ceremonies may still be two months away but it's been 18 months since Tillett joined Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Manuel Heredia Jr. and COCESNA officials for the ground breaking ceremonies on December 16, 2010, which coincided with COCESNA's 164th Board of Directors Ordinary Meeting.

Rodla Construction, the company that built the Philip Goldson International Airport, is doing the work.

The paving of the runway with hot mix is complete, although the asphalt mixture still takes some time to cure to ensure maximum durability.

The height of the landing strip has also been raised four to five inches and widened to 30 feet. The apron was also widened to allow for the parking of private aircraft.

The project was done in two phases., and work began in April 2011. Tillett affirmed the perimeter fence is 99.9% complete.

A security fence was deemed necessary to prevent island residents from wandering onto the airstrip, which would be extremely dangerous if a flight were about to land. With regard to the runway, the landing lights remain to be installed and the runway markings need to be painted, Tillett said.

Although all of Belize's airports effectively shut down after dark, Tillett said, with future expansion and growth of the tourism sector, the day is fast approaching when the airport will need to be ready for 24-hour operations, and so the runway lights are being installed to accommodate night flights, and emergency medevac flights.

COCESNA has the exclusive rights to provide air traffic services, aeronautical telecommunications and radio navigation aids for international civil aviation in Central America, primarily for flights above 20,000 feet. The corporation also helps with supervision of flight safety and personnel training at its aeronautical institute.

It has been suggested that the airport be renamed the John Grief II Airport in honor of aviation pioneer John Grief II, a fighter pilot who founded Tropic Air, one of the island's most thriving airlines.

Tropic Air has since grown to serve all destinations in Belize as well as provide several international flights within the region.

The Reporter