SIMPSON BAY, Sint Maarten – In an initiative set forth by the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), the representative of the Netherlands Aerospace Center (NLR) Jan-Hein Dronkelaar declared his findings on the aircraft movements within the Terminal Control Area (TMA) and the
aerodrome at the extraordinary stakeholder’s info-session. The closed session was hosted at the Simpson Bay Resort Conference room on Thursday August 1, 2019. NLR has been in existence for 100 years, with the goal to make the world of transport safer, more sustainable, more efficient and more effective.
The Princess Juliana International Airport have been prepared for this info session since the study was concluded in 2017. The first presentations were completed prior to Hurricane Irma, but the efforts were halted due to the damages sustained. The overall results concluded that we were able to identify our capacity for both the SXM Airport and the airspace that our ATC unit controls.
The recent presentation gave insight into the current state of the island’s airlift capacity and how best to safely maximize airlift, whilst improving the capacity due to traffic surges. The Netherlands Aerospace Center worked jointly with the Air Traffic Services (ATS) to evaluate the possibility of airspace layout design changes.
In addition to airspace redesign, infrastructure improvements will have to be made in the future which should take operational requirements into consideration, as development progresses in a logical and results oriented approach. The findings also considered the complexity of the current operations, as it analyzed the controller workload.
Invited guests included the honorable Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication (TEATT), Stuart Johnson, the Dutch and French tourist offices, Management of the Edeis Aeroport Saint – Martin Grand Case, St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA), the St. Maarten Harbor Group of Companies, St. Maarten Civil Aviation Authority, Airline Representatives, Hoteliers, Menzies (Ground Handling Company), and the airlines and handlers of the PJIAE.
“Statistical information that is used to decipher the airport’s capacity is integral to its redevelopment as the number one gateway in the region. Understanding how to maximize the use of our airspace plays a crucial role in how fast we in St. Maarten can increase our airlift. The Airspace and Aerodrome Capacity Study is a valuable tool that would shape our future decisions,” stated the Honorable Stuart Johnson Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunication (TEATT).
