An estimated R30-million is to be spent on the renovation and upgrading of the current Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Ulundi Airport in kwaZulu-Natal with the main objective being to get it reclassified from its present Category 2 level to a Category 4 status so that schedule services can resume operating there.

The kwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance ,Ms Ina Cronje, announced the rollout of the R30-million infrastructure grant to transform the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport into a first world facility at a function held at the airport recently.

This followed her inspection of the airport in April last year and her commitment to ensure that the regional airport functions to its full potential and helps grow the provincial economy.

At the same function, the designated owner and operator of the Ulundi Airport, the Zululand District Municipality, announced that Federal Air had been selected as the preferred airline to operate daily scheduled services between Ulundi and Pietermaritzburg beginning early this year .The flight is expected to take between 35 and 40 minutes.

The airport has been under-utilized since the termination of government subsidized flights in 2003. It is located one kilometer south-west of Ulundi, one of the fastest growing population centres in South Africa.

The planned upgrades to the airport will open up new opportunities for business, tourism and inter-governmental travel.

The Zululand District has opted to initially use a 12-seat Cessna Caravan for the daily flights and anticipates that the demand will require a twenty-seat aircraft within months of starting operations. Although the immediate need is from business and government passengers, the ZDM is optimistic about the tourism spin offs.

Zululand is the only district in the province of KwaZulu-Natal that is home of the Zulu King and it is the very heart of authentic Zulu culture. The Ulundi Airports close proximity to the Hluhluwe-iMfiolozi Park, the Emakhosini Opathe Heritage Park and important Zulu cultural-historic attractions, make it an ideal entry and exit point for travelers on a limited time schedule.

Ulundi will be the second regional airport in kwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to undergo major renovation with the second phase, costing R20-million about to begin at the Pietermaritzburg Airport where R40-million has already been spent and the initial phase completed.

Part of the proposed R30-million upgrade package for the Ulundi Airport will centre on four areas of concern ,namely the main runway ,the terminal building, fire-fighting facilities including the fire house, and the airports navigational aids.

The largest single expenditure will be on the runway for which just over R14-million will e needed to replace 41420 square metres of paving which will be able to withstand the higher wheel loading of aircraft which may be used in future on schedule services which will link Ulundi mainly with Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

A further R1208000 will be required to repair and reseal the taxiways which cover some 8000 square metres, and R416000 will have to be spent on recovering and resealing the apron and aircraft park areas where the degeneration of the current asphalt poses a hazard to propellers and jet in takes.

A further R200000 will be needed for lining and marking and, on the land side, R153000 to replace the parking area which has been lost to the new tourism hub nearby.

The erection of a covered walkway; replacement of the fence around the airfield and around the non-directional beacon (NDB flying aid), as well as new storm drainage will bring the total amount needed for the airfield renovation to over R16120000.

A further R1, 6-million will be needed to renovate the terminal building which includes the replacement and /or repair of potentially hazardous electrical connections and fixtures; the linking of the control tower to alarm systems, as well as the navigational aids and communications systems; a complete plumbing rehabilitation; the replacement of fire and a burglar alarms; all door fittings to replaced and a complete overhaul costing some R96000 on its own of the electrical generator.

More than R7,5-million will be needed for the fire house which will include R6,5-million for a fire tender upgrade and R850000 for an emergency medical response vehicle. Plumbing and electrical articulation systems will need to be rehabilitated and a new fire training simulator centre will be needed.

Navigational Aids

Ulundi Airport will probably be the second regional airport in South Africa to be equipped with a GNSS approach system-Pietermaritzburg Airport was the first.

The installation of this equipment coupled with the re-engineering and modernizing of the approach for long-term bad weather operations under instrument flight rules (IFR) will cost an estimated R325000.

Two NDB systems which each have been I use for some 30 years, are considered to be obsolete and will have to be replaced at a cost of R900000.

Approach lighting suitable for all weather use will have to be bought up to date at a cost of R320000 and a further R357000 will have to be spent of the airfield lighting as a whole. A report on its condition reveals numerous lenses need replacing as will be many obstacle lights.

Justification

A report entitled:”Revitalization of Ulundi Airport” points out that although current usage of the airport is “very minimal” with no scheduled air service or land operations at present, there is nevertheless justification for the resumption of scheduled flights to and from the airport.

This justification, according to the report, is based on Government and business travel, “agribusiness” travel, tourism, health and emergency use, air travel for residents in the area and KZN Ezemvelo travel.

This justification was further based on, and supplemented by, detailed interviews and discussions with general aviation and tourism operators, car hire ,transport service ,freight ,postal and pilot training providers and was also based on what is happening ,or planned to happen ,at other airports in the province.

The study makes the case that, for the resumption of scheduled flights, the full support of the various provincial government departments is non-negotiable. “The departments should make use of the scheduled air service as far as possible and discourage the use of road travel,” it says.

The study points out that schedule air services will result in significant financial saving as it will be significantly cheaper from both a cost and time point of view to fly to and from Ulundi than to use road transportation.

But the report says that the whole project hinges on the airport being upgraded to Category 4, failure of which will prevent its use for schedule services.

It also points out that a fully functional Category 4 Ulundi Airport will have an obvious impact on the Pietermaritzburg Airport which, through it becoming a “hub” airport as a result, will have increased passengers traveling to and from other centres in South Africa and beyond its borders.

Financing The Project

The Zululand District Management (ZDM) took over the management and ownerships of the airport in 2007, but does not receive any financial assistance from the Provincial Government or any other institution.

ZDM has a very limited budget for the airport as the facility currently cannot be deemed a basic service and it does not generate any income or from the airport.

The provincial Government was approached and has agreed to provide the funding for the airports upgrading over a two-year period with the proviso that the funds will only be paid over to the ZDM on completion of the pre-approved activities and not in advance or for operational requirements.

The upgrade and modernization of airports in Africa is opening more opportunities in terms of air transport for scheduled passenger flights, air ambulance flights, scheduled air cargo & freight flights, private air charter flights which will serve agriculture sector, government, fishing, tourism, air travel, health among other air transport related activities. The upgrade also opens investment into air transport for airlines, air charter companies, training schools, maintenance organization and aviation related investments. This will increase the foreign exchange income through passenger airport departure tax and create job opportunities.

Anthony Juma is the Editor and Senior Aviation Director at Wings Over Africa Aviation Limited. <br><a href='http://www.wingsoverafrica-aviation.com’> This is an Air Charter Company that specializes on Scheduled Air Service Flights | Private Air Travel | Tourists Flights & Flight Air News On Airports Upgrade and Modernization Kenya,Tanzania,Rwanda,Burundi,South Sudan,Somalia,DR Congo, Eastern & Central Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, North Africa& The Entire African Continent. </a> The website has guided thousands of travelers to achieve their dream holiday. For more information and guidance, visit the site at http:// / http://www.wingsoverafrica-aviation.com/index.php/flight-news.html</a>