TYRE BUSTING POTHOLES TO BE FIXED AT WILSON AIRPORT
(Posted 04th December 2019)
(Wilson Airport taxiway file photo)
The Kenya Airport Authority is expected to spend some 350 million Kenya Shillings on repairs of potholes on Wilson Airport’s two runways, even though this problem also extends to taxiways and parking areas at one of Africa’s busiest airports.
Local media in Kenya quoted the KCAA Director General Capt. Gilbert Kibe making the announcement, which for good order’s sake should however come from the Kenya Airports Authority directly and not the regulator – which KCAA is for the airport operator – unless Kibe’s remarks were to be seen as a regulatory directive and not a confirmation of upcoming works.
Several airline has tyres deflate or burst recently on landing, attributed by Wilson Airport based aviation observers to the multitude of potholes, which, when a landing plane hits them, inevitably affects the tyres of the plane.
Air operators have for long complained about the deteriorating state of the Wilson Airport runways and while acknowledging that the parking area immediately outside departures and arrivals was fixed, some in fact said it was only done so swiftly as foreign tourists showcased the potholes on pictures which made their way around the world.
Other parts of Wilson parking areas according to the same sources still require to be recarpeted.
Wilson Airport is Kenya’s main hub for beach and bush flying with scheduled services leaving from morning till late afternoon, providing swift and reliable transport to the country’s main national parks and game reserves without visitors having to spend endless hours on the road.
Wilson Airport key data:
IATA: WIL ICAO: HKNW
Elevation: AMSL 1,690 m / 5,546 ft
Runways:
| 07/25 1,462mtrs 4,798ft Asphalt 14/32 1,540mtrs 5,052ft Asphalt |
Notably has Manda Airport / Lamu had similar issues with potholes, resulting in airlines abandoning the route or having to fly with reduced loads.
