Authority to upgrade airfields

National

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE Samarai-Murua development authority will upgrade airfields on Misima and Woodlark Islands to facilitate easier movement of goods and services, MP Isi Leonard Henry says.
“The Misima airport will be upgraded to enable the ATR planes to land,” he said. “The airstrip on Woodlark will be maintained for lighter planes to use.
“There will be many economic activities taking place in the district such as mining, logging, ecotourism and fisheries. So there will be a lot of movement.”
Henry was at Guasopa station on Woodlark last Tuesday during an awareness on anti-land grabbing.
“Right now, the airport at Misima can take the Dash-8 aircraft and work started last month to extend the runaway for the ATR aircraft,” he said.
“Then we will upgrade the airstrip at Guasopa station on Woodlark. The airstrip will also be fenced and a terminal built for people to be cleared before boarding.”
Henry said the Guasopa airstrip was built during World War II.
“It was abandoned after the war. But it is regularly been used by small-engine planes engaged by mine developers.
“So it has to be upgraded for small commercial airlines.”