The Government of the Ascension Islands have confirmed that RAF Wideawake (ASI/FHAW), the island’s only international airport, will remain closed to heavy aircraft until 2019/2020 in order to carry out much needed repairs on the 3,000m asphalt runway.
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By “Heavy”, I mean aircraft classified as Heavy. A330, A340, A350, A380, B747, B767, B777, B787 etc. An A318 could easily take off on this runway. Smaller aircraft are allowed in for emergencies or other serious reasons.
I’m awfully sorry but I have just realised my mistake in writing. The runway at ASI is 3,000m, not ft. Thank you very much for bringing that to my attention.
ahhhh, thats a good 10K footer their, easily enough for a 747 really. understood
Interesting. The UK used FHAW as a halfway refueling point for it’s A330 tankers on the way to RAF Mount Pleasant (Falkland islands), and also took passengers from BZZ to Ascension. These had to be suspended- RAF are now using Dakar (Senegal) as the stop, leaving no flights to get to Ascension:
http://www.ascension-island.gov.ac/services/flights-between-the-uk-and-ascension-island/
Nice article
Thanks! I am one of the few who can say they have flown on that route!
An interesting fact; while stopping in Dakar, passengers cannot disembark. This is because of the threat of yellow fever, and the fact that the Falklands has very limited medical supplies to deal with the disease. So instead, its two hours on the ground on a hot and stuffy A330 in very high density seating. It is painful, trust me!
Ouch, sounds nasty. God help them if yellow fever found it’s way over there however.
I assume Ascension is treated the same as the Falklands when it comes to photography as I can’t see anything on your channel :(
The rules at Ascension are slightly more relaxed. I’ve got more photos from there, some are on the report. I have been cautioned more than once at RAF Mt Pleasant!
I didn’t have a YouTube channel when I traveled through Ascension, so I never filmed anything :( There is a video onboard on A330 landing at Mt Pleasant, it’s the first video on my channel!
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