Airport officials limit use of Naia by private planes

IN A BID to ease air traffic, authorities have barred private planes for specialized services from operating at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) during peak hours.

The restriction guidelines on General Aviation and Aerial Works Traffic at the Naia were signed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and Civil Aeronautics Board in a joint memorandum dated July 28. It was addressed to all general aviation companies operating at the Naia.

In a statement yesterday, the CAAP defined general aviation operations as activities of a civil aircraft. Aerial work, on the other hand, refer to an operation in which a plane is used for specialized services such as agriculture, construction, photography, surveying, observation and patrol, search and rescue, and aerial advertisement.

“The limited airport runway infrastructure at the Naia compelled the government to prevent its use from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. except for helicopter operations, medical evacuations and aircraft for emergency,” CAAP said.

General aviation operations and aerial works shall be limited to only “two cycles per hour from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. local time daily.”

CAAP said that right now, the number of aircraft movements that may safely operate per hour at the Naia runway is set at 40 slots in and out of Manila.

“In order to promote safety and efficiency in air transport services, general aviation operations and aerial works in Manila shall now be prohibited during peak hours,” it added.