U.S. Forces Struggle to Bring Order to Haitian Airspace

[Naim 6]

U.S. Forces Struggle to Bring Order to Haitian Airspace

 

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS

 

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—A Federal Express 727 and a giant U.S. Air Force cargo jet from Washington state were at an impasse on the taxiway, one trying to reach a parking spot while the other headed for the runway. U.S. Navy and Canadian rescue helicopters swarmed overhead. A Bolivian DC-10 had just landed, as had former President Bill Clinton in a red-white-and-blue Boeing 757.

 

But U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Don Travo's immediate problem on Monday afternoon was finding a place for a C-130 on final approach. "I can't get him in," Sgt. Travo shouted, before ordering the plane to swerve from its flight path and turn tight circles over Port-au-Prince until told otherwise.

 

Less than a week after a powerful earthquake shattered the Haitian capital, Toussaint Louverture International Airport—the port of entry for millions of pounds in emergency aid—is chaotic but functioning. What was a dangerous aviation free-for-all in the disaster's immediate aftermath, with aid planes jostling for space on the single runway, is now being tamed by a small team of Air Force special-operations troops who control air traffic from a folding table set up on a patch of dirt beside the runway.

 

"We're trying to make order out of chaos," said Chief Master Sgt. Tyler Foster.

 

The airmen have guided more than 819 planes in as of Monday morning, including 171 on Sunday night. On Monday, a cargo plane, from Charleston, S.C., arrived with 39,472 bottles of water and 31,256 packaged meals.

 

The U.S. government has ordered that all arriving planes be issued landing slots before take-off, and that all aircraft arrive with enough fuel to circle for 90 minutes, land, depart and reach their next destination. "All operators are advised that fuel and other ground-support services may be unavailable," the order read.

 

Elsewhere at the airport, Haitian aviation officials, assisted by American and Canadian traffic controllers, now contact planes 30 or 40 miles out, keeping order as the aircraft head toward Port-au-Prince. When they are within 10 or 20 miles, the Air Force controllers take over to guide the aircraft onto the lone runway.

 

The airmen have been here since the evening after the earthquake, when they found that aid planes were landing randomly. They brought enough landing lights for the 10,000-foot runway, although the existing lights were still functioning. The control tower, however, was too badly damaged to be used. So the airmen put their table out next to the runway and, within 20 minutes of arriving, they began contacting airplanes with the message, "This is Port-au-Prince tower." They have been there since, working and sleeping in 12-hour shifts.

 

They landed about 50 planes that first night, and guided 35 or 40 to take off. There were only 10 parking spots by the main terminal, so aircraft stacked up quickly, blocking each other's movement in a tangle. Small planes are sent to park on grassy fields. Helicopters are restricted to one side of the runway so that they don't interfere with arriving jets.

 

At times, one airmen jumps on a motorcycle to escort arriving airplanes to the appropriate parking spots.

 

Still, there are moments when chaos overwhelms the control. When Mr. Clinton's plane arrived, it had to wait for a C-130 to back out of its parking position. "Come on—move," Tech. Sgt. Joe Hepler said, pounding his head with his hand.

 

During the early days, incoming pilots often demanded clearance to land, arguing that their cargo was the most vital. "Everybody seemed to be a priority," said Staff Sgt. Chad Rosendale.

 

To bring some order, there is now a written priority list, issued by the U.S. embassy on behalf of the Haitian government, which gives deliveries of water and food precedence over other supplies.

 

Technically, the runway isn't wide enough for the largest cargo planes, but in recent days, the airmen have accommodated huge Russian-built jets. "We've gone beyond what is allowed," Sgt. Rosendale said.

 

Federal Aviation Administration officials arrived Monday and conducted an assessment of runway conditions in anticipation of returning air-traffic control to civilian hands. The FAA is examining the possibility of bringing in a mobile control tower to replace the folding table, according to the Air Force.

 

FAA officials on the ground declined to comment.

 

Write to Michael M. Phillips at michael.phillips@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004575011403710933576.html

[Naim 6]

RT: @_naim: "One runway, hundreds of flights: Dealing with bottleneck at Haiti airport" http://tinyurl.com/yl3nzyb

[Fitri Shukri 0]

Reminds us of Acheh airport chaos after 2004 Tsunami, however at that time, the Indonesian themselves were in control of the airspace

[Li Ren 2]

Strong 6.1 earthquake rattles Haiti

 

Posted 4 hours 6 minutes ago

Updated 42 minutes ago

 

A new earthquake has shaken the devastated Haitian capital, creating panic among survivors of last week's quake who were camped out in the streets.

 

The powerful 6.1-magnitude aftershock at daybreak sent shrieking Haitians running away from buildings and walls in the shattered city, fearing a repeat of the magnitude 7.0 quake that killed at least 75,000 people.

 

There are no immediate signs of damage or casualties, but crashing sounds have been heard suggesting that already-damaged buildings may have collapsed.

 

"It felt really strong. Each aftershock is frightening. We feel it right [in the stomach], because after last Tuesday you never know how strong it is going to be," said Lenis Batiste, who was camped out on with his two children.

 

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the latest tremor was centered 60 kilometres south west of Port-au-Prince.

 

Desperate and hungry residents of the capital have been sleeping outdoors since the January 12 quake because their homes were destroyed or from fear of aftershocks.

 

"Things started shaking. We were really afraid. People came out into the street," said Victor Jean Rossiny, a 24-year-old law student, living in the street in the Petionville suburb.

 

"We have nothing here, not even water."

 

Fears of violence and looting have eased as US troops provide security for water and food aid deliveries, and thousands of displaced Haitians have heeded the government's advice to seek shelter outside Port-au-Prince.

 

As a result, entire neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince have emptied, said International Organisation for Migration (IOM) chief of mission Vincent Houver.

 

"The poorest of the poor have stayed in the city but many people have left Port-au-Prince, mainly to other towns where they have relatives or friends," he said.

 

Medical care, handling of corpses, shelter, water, food and sanitation remain the priorities for a international relief operation, UN officials said.

 

Around 370,000 people are said to be living in improvised shelter throughout Port-au-Prince.

 

"There are more than 300 of these settlements scattered throughout the city, with people living under improvised shelter and no access to water supplies," the IOM said in a statement.

 

"Until tents can be provided, priority needs for those in these settlements include plastic sheeting, water containers, and water purification tablets," it added.

 

Miracle baby

 

The latest tremor jolted celebrations for miracle survivors of last week's quake, ranging from a three-week-old baby to an elderly woman who were hauled out after more than seven days under the rubble.

 

Despite a series of large aftershocks over the past week, rescuers have kept up their search and have been elated by their success in recent days.

 

Hoteline Losana, 25, was found in the wreckage of a supermarket late Tuesday (local time) only hours after Ena Zizi, 69, started singing as she was carried away from the ruins of Port-au-Prince cathedral.

 

French rescuers, meanwhile, found the baby girl in a hollow beneath the ruins of a house in Jacmel, a town in the south of the island nation, after spending five hours trying the get through to her.

 

The baby's uncle told a local radio station that the girl, Elisabeth, was 23 days old.

 

The station reported she was in a healthy condition and did not appear wounded and had been taken to an American field hospital nearby.

 

The United Nations says more than 120 people have been rescued by international teams from the debris of collapsed buildings since last week's quake.

 

Switch in tactics

 

But Major General Daniel Allyn, deputy commander of the military operation in Haiti, said US forces would soon switch the focus of their operation to recovering bodies rather than looking for survivors.

 

The Haitian government gave a latest toll of 75,000 dead, with another 250,000 injured and more than one million left homeless.

 

US troops fanned out across the ruined capital, where the pace of the relief operation has heightened street tensions.

 

Camped out under makeshift tents among the rubble, survivors faced a desperate hunt for food and water. For many looting is the only way.

 

"Look, when you are hungry and poor, nobody helps, you have to steal," a defiant young man named Vincent said, as people plunged into the ruins of a flattened supermarket.

 

On Tuesday, US paratroopers secured the ruined presidential palace which is now surrounded by a squalid refugee camp.

 

Oh no,another massive destruction ..