The Governor's Office on Montserrat Responds To MNI Alive's Question If They Are Protecting Nigel Harris and Fly Montserrat

CEO of Fly Montserrat, Nigel Harris
Author

Governor's Office, Montserrat

Release Date

Friday, October 14, 2022

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In response to MNI Alive's feature pieces highlighting the lack of regard, or any mode of concern towards the passengers who had to undergo the traumatic experience of an engine failure during a Fly Montserrat flight from Montserrat to Antigua on September 22nd, 2022, the Governor's Office on Montserrat today issued the following statement. 

MNI Alive also expressed openly whether Nigel Harris and Fly Montserrat are being shielded from full accountability by the Governor's Office on Montserrat.

See their response below as shared with MNI:

"Fly Montserrat has been audited in the last few weeks and its regulator, Air Safety Support International (ASSI), has confirmed that the areas subject to audit, showed that the operator met the required International Standards.

The aircraft operated by Fly Montserrat is a twin-engine Islander aircraft.  Twin-engine aircraft benefit from having the power of two engines to create thrust and to fly with heavier payloads in comparison to single engine aircraft.  This means take off is easier and the aircraft can generally fly quicker.  Two engines also give an added safety margin.  Engine failures are rare. However, in the unlikely event of this happening, the power from the second engine enables the pilot to make a safe landing.

This was the case on 22 September 2022 when a Fly Montserrat aircraft landed safely at VC Bird International Airport in Antigua with one engine shut down. Pilots undergo routine and regular training in emergency procedures, including the actions to be taken in the event of an engine failure. In this case, the engine had suffered an oil leak and it was important to shut it down to reduce drag from the spinning propeller.

On the 29 September 2021, an SVG aircraft was damaged whilst landing at John A Osborne Airport.  The subsequent Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) report can be found on the AAIB website AAIB investigation to Britten Norman 2B-26 Islander, J8-VBI - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

All pilots are professionally trained and tested by their regulator, ie. Fly Montserrat by ASSI and SVG by the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority."

 

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