Flights put at risk: Report

By GYNNIE KERO
FOUR flights coming into Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby were affected by the lack of services and information provided by airport officials because of a power outage, a report has revealed.
A PNG Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) report said the power outage occurred on May 22 and lasted for 13 hours and 29 minutes, affecting the airport’s facilities and services, such as:

• AIRFIELD lighting including the precision approach path indicator, runway, taxiway, aerodrome beacon and obstruction lights;
• INSTRUMENT landing system;
• DOMESTIC and international terminal apron lights; and,
• INTERNET, email, telephones and airport closed-circuit television.

Chief commissioner Hubert Namani said the international airport was unable to maintain the services, operational baseline declared and required by national regulations and international standards for commercial aircraft operation.
They include landing and navigation aids, runway and taxiway landings because of the failure of the primary and secondary sources of electricity.
Namani said four aircraft conducting commercial air transport passenger operations were affected by the lack of information from the airport.
He said only one aircraft was able to continue its approach using other aids available.
The AIC concluded that the power systems at Jackson international airport had failed to meet the operational baseline required to comply with the minimum international standards and national regulations.
“The AIC has recommended that the National Airport Corporation (NAC) should ensure that all the issues identified in this investigation are rectified in a timely manner to improve and upkeep the power systems at Jackson international airport.”
The NAC has taken actions to address the deficiency.