Minor hiccups for Dash 8 in SI ops

SOLOMON Airlines says an Airlines PNG Dash 8 aircraft it leases will have to limit its operations because of minor technical issues.
“There are two issues identified with the Dash 8 – one is the HF radio, which is integral to all operations for aircraft in this region and the second is to do with the GPS,” Solomon Airlines said in a statement.
It said the HF radio issue had been an ongoing one where the routes that were close to Henderson Airport in Honiara were the only ones able to communicate with the flight service centre.
“With distant areas, when the aircraft reach cruise levels, the radio communication is rendered inoperable. So, for the safety of the travelling public, the Dash 8 is unable to operate such routes,” it said.
On the global positioning system, the airline said it was not picking up vital data on longer routes such as to Lata.
“In the past couple of weeks, we have been awaiting information from Airlines PNG on a permanent fix to this issue to have full operational use of the Dash 8 again. This has not been forthcoming. – The Solomon Times