Plans for regular scheduled flights between Grahamstown and Johannesburg are at a stage that could see the service introduced before the next Easter holidays.
Plans for regular scheduled flights between Grahamstown and Johannesburg are at a stage that could see the service introduced before the next Easter holidays.
At the same time, funding is being sourced to complete the feasibility phase of a proposed project to upgrade the airport precinct that integrates a small regional commercial airport with a light industrial park, a technology innovation hub and a residential air park.
Cemair CEO Miles van der Molen Thursday 24 November confirmed that following protracted negotiations, the company is again actively pursuing plans to introduce the service by April 2017.
Although operation of the service requires minor upgrades and adjustments to the facilities at the Grahamstown aerodrome, the development of the airport precinct proposed in this week’s Local Economic Development (LED) portfolio committee meeting of the Makana Council is a separate project.
In this week’s LED portfolio committee meeting, Director Riana Meiring described proposed airport developments as one of three major catalysts for economic development in Makana Municipality.
The others are the Creative City and Waste to Energy projects.
Meiring said while the air service and the proposed airport upgrade are complementary, the latter is not a prerequisite for the service to operate. Makana Council recently approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cemair, a scheduled airline based at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
Van der Molen yesterday confirmed that Cemair would be proceeding with plans to introduce the scheduled service to Grahamstown.
“The Council’s approval came during a very busy phase for us, so I don’t know when we will get to it, but we will be pursuing it as soon as we get a gap,” Van der Molen told Grocott’s Mail.
Cemair first confirmed their intention to run a scheduled service between Joburg and Grahamstown in November 2014. However, negotiations with Makana Municipality, which owns the airfield, stalled several times. Cemair’s business proposal was taken to Council at the time, where it met with several stumbling blocks.
One was concern about the requirement that a fire engine be present whenever a commercial flight lands. In Cemair’s case this was initially estimated to be around three times a week.
The concern of some councillors that this might happen during a fire emergency was addressed by the agreement that in this unlikely case, the flight would divert to Port Elizabeth or East London.
“A bona fide emergency is an exceptional event,” Van der Molen said yesterday. “We have to balance our liability with what can be achieved. In an operation like this there are capacity constraints wherever you go; however, we believe there are sufficient resources for us to maintain our obligations.”
Silence
However, the biggest stumbling block during previous efforts to get the service off the ground, Van der Molen said, was silence.
“We simply didn’t hear anything for months. We didn’t get told much and we never got to the bottom of it,” he said.
Van der Molen said they were not prepared to half-start a project and this was the reason for the long delay.
What had changed?
“Look, we could have forced things through at the time, but that would have had no practical value. Support from the municipality and the community must come naturally.
“I think the elections helped: there’s a different mood and people are more oriented towards national outcomes.”
A series of meetings with local stakeholders would follow, to establish what capacity was required, scheduling and other operational matters – “the meat of the project” – Van der Molen said.
“The MOU is a record of intent; however, we’re certainly pursuing this actively now and once we’ve had the time to ensure everything has been comprehensively thought through, we’ll be able to stand behind this exciting project.”
Cemair had hoped to start scheduled flights at the beginning of 2017.
“We’ve burnt through too much time for that though, so we’re probably looking at starting in the next academic change of season – late March/early April.”
Cemair would consult with educational institutions and local businesses about scheduling, he said.
Straightforward
The Grahamstown Flying Club’s representative on the oversight committee for commercial operations, Ron Weissenberg, said there were some relatively straightforward items to be completed at the aerodrome, such as upgrading of security which mainly involved fencing and a secure area for passengers and luggage.
“In order to facilitate the process, the Flying Club Committee members have volunteered their time to assist our municipality and Cemair with practical implementation,” Weissenberg said.
Application for approval for automated instrument approach technology, subsidised by Innowind, was submitted to the SA Civil Aviation Authority about two years ago.
“The Flying Club is in regular contact with the CAA and even sent a representative to the CAA offices in Johannesburg,” Weissenberg said. “The CAA has advised they will attend to it in the normal course.
“However, the new technology approach should not delay a scheduled operator from commencing the service, as they will operate during daylight hours and clear conditions initially.”
While Cemair will pay landing fees to Makana, these will not contribute significantly to the municpality’s coffers.
Explaining the economic advantage to Grahamstown and its surrounds of the proposed air service, Meiring said: “Having an air passenger transport service would assist in attracting tourists because of the convenience to fly directly.
“Events like the National Arts Festival would also benefit in that it makes it easier for people who previously might have decided not to come to the Festival from Gauteng because they had to drive from PE or East London.
“(A scheduled air service) also contributes to accessibility for school children, the University, and business people.
Meiring said once this service was available, other economic opportunities would be unlocked, for example, the proposed airfield precinct development, currently in its concept phase.
