BVI reaches
significant milestone in civil aviation development
|
|
Thursday, January
29, 2009/
|
|
ROAD TOWN, BVI: VI Air Link, an air transportation
company owned and operated by Captain Neville Brathwaite
Jr, became the first commercial aircraft to be added to
the Virgin Islands (UK) Aircraft Register since the
Territory achieved Category One status under the Federal
Aviation Administration’s (FAA) International Aviation
Safety Assessment (IASA) Programme.
The twin turbo-prop nine-seater Beechcraft King Air was
registered with tail number VP-LNB at a ceremony held
yesterday to mark the historic occasion.
 |
|
Minister for Communications and Works Julian
Fraser |
Minister for
Communications and Works Julian Fraser, speaking at the
ceremony expressed his congratulations to the Brathwaite
family who owns and operates VI Air Link. “It is a proud
day for civil aviation in the BVI. It is the day we see
the return to service of one of our very own airlines.
It is the day we were able to facilitate the
registration of the aircraft for that airline, within
the best class of certification there is -- Category
One.”
Fraser said, “This achievement is not the end as there
is more work left to be done. In order to retain the
categorisation of the BVI in IASA Category One, it will
be necessary to satisfy the FAA that effective safety
regulatory oversight, compliance and enforcement are
being applied by Air Safety Support International (ASSI).”
Fraser added that VI Air Link and other airlines
registered in the BVI have an obligation to comply with
the rules set out in the laws of the Territory, and to
adhere to the dictates of ASSI’s regulations.
Deputy Premier and District Eight Representative, Dancia
Penn Sallah, QC also expressed congratulations to the
Brathwaite family for their achievement and
perseverance.
The Deputy Premier commended the family for “starting
off at this point in time because it is the time when
there is so much need, and as bad as the global economic
picture might sound, we all know the difficulties there
are in moving about our islands hopefully our capacity
for travel between the islands will be much facilitated
by the inauguration of this airline today.”
Penn said, “I know that the entire Government supports
you fully in this endeavour and you have our word that
we will work with you the best we can to make sure that
there is not only one aircraft for the airline, but a
fleet of aircraft that will serve us and serve us well.”
Accountable Manager of VI Air Link, Neville Brathwaite
Jr in his brief remarks said, “Like most developed and
developing countries aviation is an economic pillar,
vital to sustaining the economy and economic
developments. VI Air Link is proud to be a part of this
support as the first air carrier and airline in the BVI
under the new Overseas Territories air requirements and
the first carrier based in the BVI in over a decade.”
He added that, “We are proud to work hand in hand with
ASSI to have an aviation system that will stand up to
international scrutiny and give the BVI and the people
of the BVI another thing we can call our own.” |
|
|
