Let's Build Gonave, Haiti!

Getting to and from La Gonave is a bit of a challenge. Typically you can fly into the island from Port-au-Prince using a charter flight, or you would have to take a ferry. Due to really expensive fares, most locals use the various sailboats and a ferry that go to and from the island. These water vessels are barely sea worthy, and some have even sunk. Most of the people who fly to the island are foreigners who are with or part of the not-for-profit groups on the island. Rarely if ever do Haitians fly even from the the Port-au-Prince airport, let alone La Gonave. The island of La Gonave has a 2,400 foot dirt runway that easily gets muddy when it rains, and often has livestock that is roaming the airstrip. This simply can not continue to happen. The La Gonave airport is only a 20 - 25 min flight from Port-au-Prince airport. Given the short distance, and large population on the island an air service could be supported. If you look at the numbers of people who daily go to and fr...

I wrote a blog on this topic several times.  I even mentioned how initially an airline could be a seaplane , due to the expense of building an actual runway.  While Gonave does have a dirt runway, it isn't always reliable due to it's size, condition, and the fact that it is made from dirt. A newer runway could be constructed that would allow very small planes to connect to Port-au-Prince.  Cessna Caravans would prove vital for Gonave success.  First off these planes are very affordable, with a price often around $1 million US.  Moreover, these planes are used by FedEx in smaller cities to fly packages in and out.  So not only is the aircraft affordable, it can also be used as a cargo plane.  Moreover, airlines have used the aircraft for passenger service.  New Mexico Airlines use these planes to fly passengers in state. Given the small amount of runway needed, cost, versatility, and reliability, a Cessna Caravan makes perfect sense. (see imag...