Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

No permission granted to land private single engines @ VG airport - BVIAA

No permission granted to land private single engines @ VG airport - BVIAA

The BVI Airport Authority (BVIAA) has made it clear that it will not tolerate or be sympathetic with pilots turning up at the Taddy Bay International Airport in private single-engine planes unless those planes are commercial flights.

On Tuesday, November 23, 2021, pilots Eric and David Zipkin safely landed a single-engine aircraft, a Pilatus PC-12 operated by Tradewind Aviation at the Virgin Gorda International Airport at Taddy Bay, as the first aircraft to touch down as the airport reopened after being out of commission for some years.

Passengers included Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), two schoolteachers and a student Ciara Lavia, Javon Carty, Samara Jackson, Virgin Gorda resident Ms Cathy Ann Bascombe, JTV reporter Ms Cathy O. Richards along with BVIAA Acting Managing Director Mr Clive Smith.

On Tuesday, November 23, 2021, pilots Eric and David Zipkin safely landed a single-engine aircraft, a Pilatus PC-12 operated by Tradewind Aviation at the Virgin Gorda International Airport at Taddy Bay, as the first aircraft to touch down as the airport reopened after being out of commission for some years.


Only single-engine commercial flights permitted


However, when Acting Director Mr Smith took to the microphone to give remarks, it was revealed that the only single-engine planes that would be permitted to land there are commercial flights.

According to Mr Smith, “For some time, the BVIAA has worked with our regulator, Air Safety Support International, to lift the single-engine restriction on flights into Virgin Gorda. The decision to lift the restriction was based solely on a safety record of these and similar aircraft as well as rigorous monitoring requirements by regulators to ensure that the operation is safe for the travelling public.”

“This does not mean that anyone flying a single-engine aircraft can turn up to Taddy Bay and request permission to land. Only commercial operators that have satisfied the specifics of the Governor’s instruction will be allowed to use the aerodrome,” he said.

However, acting Deputy Director of the BVIAA Mr Keith L. Flax has shared a difference in opinions regarding Virgin Gorda airport as a dangerous place to fly, into stating that the notion is ’nonsense’.

Single engine private planes can fly into VG - Keith Flax


Flax a pilot of many years said that while it has been some time now since he has been behind the controls, “I piloted a single-engine aircraft in here in 1978. It was a Cessna cardinal retractable gear with autopilot. In those days it was known as a complex single-engine aircraft.”

“The people who are saying that it can only be used now by commercial operators, aircrafts such as the one we are looking at, probably have never flown in here as a pilot and that saddens me because many days I use to get up and say I am going to Virgin Gorda for lunch and just fly over,” he said.

“Five minutes I am back home once I leave here. Such a joy and the pilots would attest to that, it’s the man behind the control,” Mr Flax said while recalling that he flew into VG on Cessna 172s and 150s.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
×