GEORGE NEWS - "The Acsa team here at George Airport and the entire airport community literally breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced that the restrictions have been lifted," said Brenda Moses, George Airport manager, at a media conference last Friday.
Her statement was in response to the SA Civil Aviation Authority’s (SACCA) lifting of restrictions on landing at George in wet conditions.

The runway was approved and the announcement that restrictions were lifted was made days before the first international soccer team - the Danish - was expected to arrive.
The runway overlay project involved an ultra-thin friction course (UTFC) being applied to the runway surface. Twenty millimetres of the original runway was taken off and replaced with 20mm of the UTFC.
Acsa announced that the project started on 10 May and was completed during the night of 25 May. The SACAA then tested the runway surface and the restriction was lifted after it was determined that the new surface complied to the required standards.

"It was a welcome move for all concerned, following what was undoubtedly a trying time," said Gawie Bestbier, SACAA general manager of air safety infrastructure.
He said the friction results were ‘good’ and met the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
As part of the water drainage test, the previously problematic areas of the runway were flooded to determine the affect of the new surface.
The SACAA found that the improved runway texture and levelling now successfully dissipates water via the open graded surface texture and to the side of the runway.

Bestbier thanked all stakeholders for their co-ope-ration including Acsa, its contractors and the airlines.
The SACAA has issued a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on George Airport which informs pilots of the new state of the runway.

Acsa would not comment on the cost of the runway or the impact of flight disruptions as it said the investigation on the SA Airlink accident on 7 December was still incomplete.

Article: Anica Krüger



This SA Airlink flight from Cape Town was able to land on the resurfaced George Airport runway just before the media conference. Photo: Anica Krüger