Airports Vanuatu Limited on Facebook

Did you know that Airports Vanuatu Limited (AVL) is on Facebook. Comprised of mostly AVL staffs members and interested individuals in following the latest updates and development AVL and the country at large. If you are on Facebook and wish to join, do visit our Group page. Log on to Facebook and see 'Airports Vanuatu Limited'. There may be conditions and approval required to join in. Thanks.

With the new year 2014 already under- way, the continuous detection & removal of FOD as part of AVL’s FOD prevention program is maintained. Thursday 30th January 2014 was the date when the 01st FOD walk of this year took place at Bauerfield International airport. Hopefully this similar event will be taking place at both White grass & Pekoa International airports respectively in the coming months. The day started beautifully as over the past few weeks we had experienced torrential rain and thunderstorms (generated by two successive low pressure systems, one followed by another, over the southern Solomon Island group) which created these poor weather conditions, thus, FOD walks were postponed twice prior to this particular one eventuating. From 1300HRS, the FOD walk started from the front of the Air Vanuatu hangar and with participants forming a straight line, they began walking eastwards on the tarmac area, past the Air Vanuatu Engineering office, Domestic terminal, VIP Lounge and the International Terminal. Afterwards, the FOD walk continued from threshold of runway 29 (whereupon receiving ATC clearance from ATS to entering the runway) proceeded from there, covering the entire runway to the end at threshold of runway 11 (in between, the taxiway was also inspected and any FOD was removed from there). The time the FOD walk ended was 1445HRS. Back row (L-R): Mandella (VIT Tourism) , Margaret, Alina, Amelia,Shaun, Kathleen, Helen, Linda, Juliet, Elise. Front row (L-R): Pascal, Richard Samuel (AVSEC), Lizzie, Gipps Livingstone (AVSEC) Absent: Damas Photo taken by: Yvonne Jack (VIT Tourism) FOD detected & removed As per the photo below, the following are the FOD items that were detected & removed during the FOD walk:- Dead land crabs, dead centipede, stones, dry strewn grass, rubber strips, a piece of cloth rag, a packet of PK chewing gum, bird feathers, twigs, bits of paper, plastic, a few small metal objects and dried mud. Acknowledgment • All the AVL staff participants and VIT Tourism students • Manager Technical Services for the use of VHF Hand held radio • ATS Officer – Melinda for co-ordination to clearance to enter/vacate Runway when necessary. • Manager ARFFS – use of company ‘OPS Bus 1’ • Yvonne Jack(VIT Tourism) student - Photographer • Anyone who may be assisted in one way or another. A big effort which those who took part had contributed to the safety of our airports by involving in the FOD walk! Well done and see you all next month for the next one! END OF REPORT

Terminal Evacuation Drill - Thursday 08th August 2013

A Safety terminal evacuation drill at Bauer field airport
On Thursday 08th August 2013 the evacuation drill was conducted at Bauer field International airport, near Port Vila. The co-ordination of the drill was carried out by Airports Vanuatu Limited's (AVL's) Operations department as the operator and owner of Bauer field airport.
As an airport operator, AVL is obliged to provide an emergency response in an event of any situation that may endanger safety to persons and aircraft at an airport. As such, it is necessary that an evacuation drill or exercise be conducted to ensure that our Airport Emergency responses is carried out in accordance to our standards.

Overall, the exercise was carried out successfully involving AVL airport staff & management, other airport stakeholders such as airline personnel and other government workers at the airport. Immediately following the activiation of the drill and alertness which involved public announcements through a loud- hailer (megaphone), everyone hearing the 'alarm' including the public, evacuated both terminals (International & Domestic buildings) and assembled at the car park area adjacent to the Domestic terminal. In the Airport Emergency (response) plan, the domestic car park area is where all personnel must assemble at in an airport emergency such as a structural fire or an earthquake.

In the above drill, a simulated scenario was initiated which involved a suspected explosive device being detected at the International terminal by Aviation Security (AVSEC). As such,it requiring an immediate evacuation of the terminals for safety to lives.

At the end of the event (drill), the AVL manager responsible in the co- ordination thanked everyone for participating and their co-operation. To date, a report of the drill has been compiled by the Operations Compliance unit.

Bauerfield International is owned and managed by Airports Vanuatu Limited (AVL)