L'Espérance Airport
Encyclopedia
L'Espérance Airport , also known as Grand Case Airport , is a public use airport
located in Grand Case, on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin
. The airport is only used for smaller aircraft as Princess Juliana International Airport
on the Dutch side of the island (known as Sint Maarten) is served by all major carriers.
and France
signed the Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls
, which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights". After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in the Netherlands, and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Though the treaty is now in force, its provisions are not yet implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed.
), L'Esperance Airport
(St Martin
, French West Indies
), Gustaf III Airport
(St. Barths, French West Indies
), F.D. Roosevelt Airport
(St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles
) and Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport
(Saba, Netherlands Antilles
).
Larger aircrafts such as the ATR 72-500 powerbacks after lining up on the runway for departure due to the short runway.
The regional Esperance Airport at Grand Case allows the quickest transfers for commercial inter-island flights and for private aircraft (required to give a 24-hour notice to the Airport Authorities before landing).
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Grand Case, on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin
Saint Martin (France)
Saint Martin , officially the Collectivity of Saint Martin is an overseas collectivity of France located in the Caribbean. It came into being on 15 July 2007, encompassing the northern parts of Saint Martin island and neighbouring islets, the largest of which is Île Tintamarre...
. The airport is only used for smaller aircraft as Princess Juliana International Airport
Princess Juliana International Airport
Princess Juliana International Airport serves the Dutch part of the island of Sint Maarten. In 2007, the airport handled 1,647,824 passengers and 103,650 aircraft movements. The airport serves as a hub for Windward Islands Airways and is the major gateway for the smaller Leeward Islands,...
on the Dutch side of the island (known as Sint Maarten) is served by all major carriers.
Joint border control with the Kingdom of the Netherlands
In 1994, the Kingdom of the NetherlandsKingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
signed the Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls
Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls
The Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls, often called the Franco-Dutch Treaty is a treaty between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France aimed at improving border controls at the two airports on the island of...
, which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights". After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in the Netherlands, and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Though the treaty is now in force, its provisions are not yet implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed.
Tower
Since official opening of the new control-tower PJIA Air Traffic Controllers have two radar systems at their disposal with a range of 50 NM and 250 NM. PJIA air traffic control manages 4000 sqnmi of airspace around the airport. Besides providing approach, tower and ground control at PJIA, Juliana air traffic services also provides approach control for Wallblake Airport(AnguillaAnguilla
Anguilla is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin...
), L'Esperance Airport
L'Espérance Airport
L'Espérance Airport , also known as Grand Case Airport , is a public use airport located in Grand Case, on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin...
(St Martin
Saint Martin
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km2 island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands ; however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between...
, French West Indies
French West Indies
The term French West Indies or French Antilles refers to the seven territories currently under French sovereignty in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean: the two overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the two overseas collectivities of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy, plus...
), Gustaf III Airport
Gustaf III Airport
-Charter:-Incidents and accidents:*A Piper PA-23 Aztec attempted the tricky runway 10 landing on May 23, 2009, eventually touching down from the departure end of the runway. Amateur video of the crash sequence shows the plane approaching higher and faster than usual before making the dive for the...
(St. Barths, French West Indies
French West Indies
The term French West Indies or French Antilles refers to the seven territories currently under French sovereignty in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean: the two overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the two overseas collectivities of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy, plus...
), F.D. Roosevelt Airport
F.D. Roosevelt Airport
F.D. Roosevelt Airport is the airport located on the island of Sint Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands. It was opened as "Golden Rock Airport" in 1946...
(St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
) and Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport
Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport
-External links:* - local airline* * of J. Irausquin Airport from Airliners* from YouTube* from World Airport Codes...
(Saba, Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
).
Runway and facilities
Incoming airplanes approach the island on short final for runway 12 over the bay of Grand-Case which is a tremendous view on final approach or when winds direction changes which is common incoming airplanes approach the island on short final for runway 30 which is the opposite direction.Larger aircrafts such as the ATR 72-500 powerbacks after lining up on the runway for departure due to the short runway.
The regional Esperance Airport at Grand Case allows the quickest transfers for commercial inter-island flights and for private aircraft (required to give a 24-hour notice to the Airport Authorities before landing).