Haiti Crisis: Business Aviation Responds
Aircraft Operations in Haiti
Updated January 23, 2010, 5:50 p.m. Eastern
NBAA's General Aviation Desk is in routine contact with a Crisis Management team at the FAA's Command Center. The GA Desk reports that the following is what is known from an operational standpoint, based on the latest update from the Crisis Management Center at the Command Center:
- Special temporary access procedures for MTPP effective are until further notice. At the request of ICAO and Haiti's neighboring states in support of earthquake relief operations, the U.S. Government has established temporary air traffic flow management procedures for flights into MTPP.
- All fixed-wing aircraft flying to MTPP are required to be on an active IFR flight plan and prior to departure obtain arrival slot times from the Haiti Flight Operations Coordination Center at (850) 283-5477.
Note: The limited staff at the Haiti Flight Operations Coordination Center at (850) 283-5477 are handling a large amount of call volume. If lines are busy, please allow some time before trying again.
- Arrival slot times are valid +/- 20 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. If unable to meet scheduled arrival slot times, contact the Haiti Flight Operations Coordination Center or your controlling agency to coordinate new slot times.
- Departures from MTPP must comply with normal ATC procedures.
- All operators are advised that fuel and other ground support services may be unavailable.
ATC/ Contingency:
- No major issues with the contingency plan. All States are coordinated and flows have been well managed.
- US DOD/ Military handling tower ops.
- Air space management has improved significantly, although some aircraft still have to hold for periods of time.
- The following frequencies are now being used for air traffic control: 124.5 (Arrivals & Departures), 118.3 (Tower), 130.7 (Ground) See NOTAM below.
Airport:
- UN and US Military are managing/coordinating operations at the airport. Terminal has some damage but is functional.
- Jet-bridges are operational.
- The offload of cargo has become very efficient in which aircraft are being turned around in about one hour on average.
- US Military using specialized ramp control.
- Two aprons are being used at this time. The general aviation apron is still closed due to debris.
- Many passengers have congregated at the airport awaiting departure from the country.
- At this moment, priority is given to bringing in supplies into the country.
- An evacuation plan has been put in place. Injured people are being given priority handling at this moment to leave Haiti.
NOTAM: The FAA has issued the following NOTAM. Dominican Republic will issue a new revised NOTAM regarding its contingency plan.
FAA has staff in Port Au Prince at this time and are providing status reports on the current situation at the airport and ATC facility.
A0021/10 - SPECIAL NOTICE: SPECIAL TEMPORARY ACCESS PROCEDURES FOR MTPP EFFECTIVE 1001172119 UTC UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE. IN SUPPORT OF HAITIAN CAA AND TO FACILITATE EARTHQUAKE RELIEF OPERATIONS, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS ESTABLISHED TEMPORARY AIR TRAFFIC FLOW MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES FOR FLIGHT INTO MTPP. ALL FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT FLYING TO MTPP ARE REQUIRED TO BE ON AN ACTIVE IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OBTAIN ARRIVAL SLOT TIMES FROM THE HAITI FLIGHT OPERATIONS COORDINATION CENTER (HFOCC) AT 001-850-283-5477. ARRIVAL SLOT TIME ARE VALID +/ - 20 MINUTES OF THE SCHEDULED ARRIVAL TIME. IF UNABLE TO MEET SCHEDULED ARRIVAL SLOT TIMES, CONTACT THE HAITI FLIGHT OPERATIONS COORDINATION CENTER OR YOUR CONTROLLING AGENCY TO COORDINATE NEW SLOT TIMES. DEPARTURES FROM MTPP MUST COMPLY WITH NORMAL ATC PROCEDURES. ALL OPERATORS ARE ADVISED THAT FUEL AND OTHER GROUND SUPPORT SERVICES MAY BE UNAVAILABLE. MTEG : AREA CONTROL SERVICE, APPROACH CONTROL SERVICE, AND FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICE ARE PROVIDED BY PORT AU PRINCE AREA CONTROL CENTER ON FREQUENCY 124,5 MHZ FOR ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES DESTINED FOR MTPP AND MTCH. END PART 1 OF 2. 17 JAN 21:19 2010 UNTIL UFN. CREATED: 17 JAN 21:39 2010
