The question with this extension is how it should be used. When extending the runway to the north I imagine it should be used as a one way runway? Coming from the south and departing also to the south. There is no way bigger aircraft could really use much additional runway to the north for landing or takeoff via the northern side with the terrain.
But if the airport has money issues, which I can believe, the number one project is to cut on salaries. There are simply too many people running around. Landing fee office with several people. Multiple X-ray machine operators sitting all day in the sun and the list goes on.
When extending the runway to the north I imagine it should be used as a one way runway?
Yes; the north end is a pretty tight turn.
Peter wrote:
Elba has always had the most expensive avgas this side of Greece, causing people to either avoid it or refuel on the way there or back. I don’t know why; I am sure Italy is able to buy avgas for the same price as anyone else, so this was some kind of “interesting Italian business” going on.
The price at the pump isn’t just the cost of the fuel. Elba does happen to be an island, which means that delivery of aviation fuel is per se more expensive than elsewhere. Islands off the coast of Estonia have the same cost challenge.
Sebastian_G wrote:
But if the airport has money issues, which I can believe, the number one project is to cut on salaries. There are simply too many people running around. Landing fee office with several people. Multiple X-ray machine operators sitting all day in the sun and the list goes on.
There is certainly some truth to that. Just compare it with the efficiency of the operation at Losinj, which has a comparable situation in many ways and yet always seems much busier.
Been there 3 weeks ago, and once more, a fantastic place. For now…
The fuel price, even for MOGAS, was horrendous, and of course we refueled on the mainland.
Now re the thread’s subject, as always, and the more so with Italy, a double-edged sword… light, small, SEP, sure don’t need any runway extension! As a matter of fact, a 2/3rd reduction of runway length would fit me (us…) fine.
Runway extension => “big” business once more spoiling one of the last affordable places… looking forward to associated major landing + mandatory handling fees.
You Learjet/PC-12/Cirrus/etc guys will be ok with that. I won’t.
Farewell Elba, che peccato.
chflyer wrote:
The price at the pump isn’t just the cost of the fuel. Elba does happen to be an island, which means that delivery of aviation fuel is per se more expensive than elsewhere.
I don’t think the delivery cost is a huge factor in the per litre cost. Avgas at EGNS (Isle of Man) is often slightly cheaper than it is in the UK or Ireland. Car fuel on the Isle of Man varies between being slightly cheaper some years, and slightly more expensive others, than the UK.
The price of fuel on Croatian islands (LDLO and LDSB) is very close to the one on mainland – very often LDSB has same price as LDSP while LDLO is 10% more expensive than LDRI or LDPL.
Unfortunately I think that @Sebastian_G has it in a nutshell. Like many small, essentially holiday islands, they have a small, essentially GA airfield… and they want a daily commecial flight to the mainland for convenience, which costs more to service than it will ever make so its a subsidised service employing ‘x+’ people, which is why a guy meets your aeroplane when you park, and why you get issued a boarding pass, and get escorted back to the aeroplane again – all fun, but costly and not required. Some beancounter has noticed this cost and gone “we’re a tourist island, why aren’t Ryanair/Wizz/Tui etc flying here?” to which someone has pointed to the length of the runway…etc..
skydriller wrote:
“we’re a tourist island, why aren’t Ryanair/Wizz/Tui etc flying here?” to which someone has pointed to the length of the runway
Losinj LDLO wanted to go in this direction and some plans were made but then financing and politics prevented activities. However, they haven’t abandoned the plan.
Brac LDSB extended their runway and during summer season, besides regular 2 times a week Dash 8 Q400 from Zagreb, they have TUI charter Embraer 190 and occasional Airbus 319.
@Emir as someone that has never flown GA to Croatia, has the change at Brac made it harder or more expensive for GA?
skydriller wrote:
@Emir as someone that has never flown GA to Croatia, has the change at Brac made it harder or more expensive for GA?
No. CAT never stays over night, so they temporarily occupy only one parking spot. The prices remained the same. It actually improved the usability of the airport by extending working hours of the airport, tower and meteo service on some days. Instrument approach (although rarely necessary at LDSB) is available only when tower is active.
This summer they will extend to night hours (Saturday until 21:30 UTC), so night landings will be possible with no additional charge.
