Richard Butler | RNZ | Feb 22, 2019
Vanuatu’s Bauerfield International Airport is on target for completion of a US$47.7 million rehabilitation and upgrade completion by late June 2019.
The bulk of the work will be completed by the end of March 2019, with additional services completed by the end of June 2019.
The top 100mm of the aged existing asphalt along the entire 2.6km length of the runway has been removed and replaced with new asphaltic concrete pavement.
The works are now building on top of that rehabilitated pavement with an increased thickness of asphaltic concrete to increase the pavement classification number and allow for larger aircraft operations.
Works currently under way include installation of 7.5m wide asphaltic concrete shoulders along the full length of the runway to meet improved safety outcomes and compliance for larger aircraft and improved drainage to boost pavement resilience during heavy rain. The new International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliant turning nodes at the runway ends are almost complete.
Other upgrades include a new high-strength parking apron and a new lighting system to ICAO standards and navigation aids for improved safety and runway reliability for airlines.