The BVI reached a significant milestone in civil aviation development for the Territory.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 the Honourable Julian Fraser, R.A. 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.”
Minister 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).”
Minister 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, Hon. Dancia Penn Sallah, Q.C. 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.”
Hon. 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, Mr. 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.”
Government remains committed to improving aviation management to ensure a properly regulated and efficient civil aviation industry.
British Virgin Islands News