Hundreds welcome jet plane as it flies back to Goroka

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THERE was excitement in Goroka yesterday when an Air Niugini jet aircraft landed at the airport in Goroka – the first since 2005.
At around 12.30pm, Captain Francis Pohonhelan steered the Fokker F-70 jet down from the Bena mountains into the Goroka Valley and landed on the new runway.
It was only a test flight so there were no passengers on board.
Hundreds of excited locals lined the perimeter fence to welcome the aircraft.
Jet aircraft flights stopped because the runway was in a poor condition and too dangerous for bigger planes.
Air Niugini and PNG Air had since been using smaller planes, especially the Dash-8.
A jubilant Pohonhelan, who used to fly F-28 jets into Goroka, told The National that the resumption of flights by bigger aircraft augured well for the economy of Goroka and Eastern Highlands.
“I haven’t been here for about 20 years. I think it (resumption of jet flights) is good for the economy of the province. They’ve been missing out big time.
“The jet aircraft can put in a lot of cargo so it’s good for the local economy, especially farmers, so they can bring their produce to Moresby and sell. It’s also good for tourism.”
Manua Kametan, as National Airports Corporation programme director for the Asian Development Bank-funded Civil Aviation Development Investment Programme, was also beaming.
“’I’m just so happy,” he told The National.
“This is quite a significant event for us to get the Fokker-100 up here. Twenty years is a long time.
“It’s all to grow the economy of the country, to get the people to sell their produce outside of Eastern Highlands, with a bigger aeroplane that can carry all their produce out.”
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will open the K95 million Goroka airport today.
He will be accompanied by Cabinet ministers and senior public servants.