By: Amar Persaud
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is currently reviewing a proposal submitted by the Eugene F. Correia International Airport for the redesign of its structure to cater for an anticipated increase in air traffic.
This was announced by Director General of the GCAA Egbert Field who noted that the matter is under active consideration.
During an exclusive interview with this publication, he explained that “we are looking at a redesign because of the type of activities coming out of Ogle. Ogle [Airport] generates anything close to 130 to 140 movements per a day and we also have to think of the fact that it’s not only fixed wing aircraft operations out of Ogle but now there’s an increase in helicopter operations moving towards the offshore areas.”
Commenting on the progress of the review of the proposal, he noted that “we have started and I think it should be in draft right now still to be reviewed but it’s being actively looked at.”
According to the GCAA Boss, Guyana is experiencing a “goldrush” in the aviation sector.
“It’s a rush to have the aircraft and operators coming to Guyana, it’s like in the olden days in the wild west, the gold rush, this is the aviation rush. I remembered a couple years back, I alluded to the fact that there is tsunami of aviation headed towards Guyana. Not that it’s no longer out there heading to Guyana, it is right on our shores,” Field expressed.
And as the sector continues to expand, he noted that the GCAA – as a regulatory body – will continue to build its capacity.
“We do have a number of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters operating and the GCAA is trying very hard to build itself into a robust authority in order to cope with this, I would say so far we’re doing very well,” he noted.
Regarding laws that govern the aviation sector, the GCAA Head noted that they are currently adequate.
“I think its adequate at this time. We are not over congested, I think how the airspace is demarcated over Guyana is good and is correct,” he noted.
The Ogle International Airport was renamed to the Eugene F Correia international airport on May 9, 2016, after the aviation pioneer.
