Nine Air Traffic Services (ATS) trainees achieving their Flight Data Operator (FDO) certification (see Friday/Saturday edition) not only marks an important step in their careers, but indicates increased future availability of these crucial professionals for aviation and consequently the island’s tourism economy. As they continue to broaden their training, this enables them to independently perform FDO duties while obtaining the operational experience needed to become a fully licenced air traffic controller.
For many years, those who aspired to such depended on overseas training facilities in Curaçao and Trinidad for an intensive two-year training programme. Today, Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) is providing that expertise in St. Maarten through the development of the PJIA Aviation Training Academy (PATA).
By investing in a dedicated training facility, including modern classrooms and simulator facilities, the airport is creating the foundation for a sustainable aviation certification programme in St. Maarten. It can also bring aviation training closer to home elsewhere, strengthening knowledge, expertise and capacity across the region.
However, one related issue still remains unresolved. Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company PJIAE’s current CEO Micheal Cleaver, at the time still CEO of Winair, said in February 2022 that together with the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT) and the Department of Civil Aviation, Shipping and Maritime Affairs, they were working to return St. Maarten to its former United States (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) category one rating, lost after the former Netherlands Antilles was dismantled per 10-10-10. This would allow local airlines to fly to American territory including the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as well as code-sharing with US carriers, but the process requires -among other things- considerable funding.
A passenger safety charge was introduced in 2019 to support civil aviation oversight. Last month Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs reported that government had finally received approximately 6.5 million Caribbean guilders from PJIAE in fees collected on its behalf from 2019 through the first quarter of 2026.
Better late than never, some might say. The means will now be safeguarded and reserved until the envisioned Civil Aviation Authority becomes operational.
Eventually, all this can perhaps boost a renewed effort to get back into Cat 1.
Working together with Curaçao on doing so seems like a no-brainer, since in that sense both islands are still in the same proverbial boat.
