The Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport has to comply with the requirements of its FAA-issued airport operating certificate.
In a letter dated July 21, FAA regional administrator William C. Withycombe told Gov. Benigno R. Fitial that there’s a need to provide and maintain lighting systems for the carrier operations when the airport is open at night, and during conditions below visual flight rules minimum.
The lighting systems include airfield lighting and signs, airport beacons, approach lighting, and obstruction lighting.
“The intentional power blackouts are causing interruptions of the navigational aids for extended periods of time,” the FAA official said. “The high voltage transformers, cables, and engine generators feeding critical airport navigational aids are being exercised repeatedly beyond their design limits damaging and shortening the life-cycle of vital equipment and systems.”
Withycombe said the CNMI government should prevent the interruption of visual and electronic signals of navigational aids.
Withycombe noted that it was the FAA that paid $10,000 to fuel the airport traffic control tower emergency engine generator to the proper level to maintain current uninterrupted operations.
This was supposed to be the responsibility of the Commonwealth Ports Authority.
Withycombe said if this happens again, the FAA will ask for an reimbursement from CPA.
To ensure the safety of airport operations, he urged the governor to exempt the Saipan airport from the load shedding schedule of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
CUC last week said it could no longer assure a 24-hour power supply at the airport.
“Please review the airport emergency plan to ensure safe operation and maintenance of the airport is being performed under this energy crisis situation,” Withycombe told the governor.
The FAA, he added, should be informed of the actions to be taken and have been taken to ensure the airport’s safety.
New generator
In other news, outgoing acting CPA Executive Director Lee Cabrera on Friday said the FAA had already approved a modified request for proposal for the purchase of a new federally funded generator.
The project cost was initially $2.1 million, but Cabrera said the federal funding assistance will be increased due to the inclusion of the power upgrade and connections for the aircraft rescue and firefighting unit and the air traffic control tower.
“We presented two options to the FAA: proceed with the project as is and in later time request for inclusion of the items; and disregard the project in entirety and issue a new, more enhanced and more comprehensive RFP for a new bidding process,” Cabrera told Variety.
