GIFF JOHNSON
As Air Marshall Islands new Cessna SkyCourier goes into regular service soon, it will be limited by one major factor: The lack of paved runways on the outer islands.
It will be able to service Kwajalein, of course, and Jaluit and likely Wotje. But until more runways are paved, the plane’s service will be limited.
A Pacific International Inc. construction crew is expected to mobilize for runway paving at Ailinglaplap Atoll, starting in the next couple of months.
This paving work can’t happen soon enough for AMI to make wider use of the new Cessna. The second Cessna, purchased as part of the $20 million deal, is to arrive next month.
Finance Minister David Paul thinks that there is enough passenger demand for the Cessna to be flying twice a day between Kwajalein and Majuro. While the plane has the same number of seats as the long-used Dornier aircraft — 19 — its cargo capacity is much bigger, 19,000 pounds compared to 14,000 for the Dorniers.
With the US government putting up $8 million for the purchase of the American-made planes, this leaves AMI with a $12 million debt to Taiwan’s In International Cooperation and Development Fund. The ICDF has provided a concessionary, long-term low-interest loan that gives AMI a five-year grace period before it needs to start paying back the money at about one percent interest.
“Based on AMI’s financial statement (from last year), its revenue is high enough to pay the loan off,” Paul told the Journal recently.
He indicated that AMI and the government will also be discussing with the US Army Garrison, Kwajalein Atoll about possibilities for the airline to contract with the Army for servicing the Kwajalein-Roi Namur flight schedule. It is an option that the RMI government has been interested in developing for years. But the new Cessna aircraft may offer a foundation for serious discussions with the Army.
In the meantime, AMI awaits the progress of government-funded paving work for outer island runways to open up more islands for Cessna SkyCourier service.
Pacific International Inc. has been contracted by the RMI government to pave two runways at Ailinglaplap Atoll, which is one of the most populated outer atolls.
The first phase work will pave the runway at Airok Island this fiscal year, with a start date estimated for July. The second runway to be paved under the contract is at Woja Island and will happen in fiscal year 2027, after PII completes Airok airport paving.
The Ministry of Public Works Project Management Unit that oversees the work estimates six months to complete each runway.
“A new portable asphalt plant just came in and we are working on assembling that now,” PII manager Kenneth Kramer told the Journal Tuesday this week. “We should be mobilizing a crew to Ailinglaplap with plant and equipment next month.”