In a strategic move aimed to impr9ve Jinja District Tourism Potential, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has embarked on redevelopment of Jinja airstrip infrastructure, starting with tarmacking of the runway and widening the aircraft parking area.
According to Engineer Benedict Ovura, the principal Airport Operations officer at CAA, Jinja airfield has been underutilised over the years despite its strategic location as tourism destination.
Eng Ovura said they are in the final procurement process to acquire a contractor to take up this project.
“We want to tarmac the taxiway and the apron which shall also be widened,” said Ovura.
According to Ovura CAA will extend the length of the run way from the current 1.8km to 30km.
The airfield is currently utilised by Vine Air Flight Academy and surrounded by UPDF installations, including Senior Command and Staff College Kimaka, Gaddafi Barracks and Amber Court Market.
The Chief Executive of Vine Air Flight Academy, Flight Captain Dodd Katendeigwa, says the current state of the airstrip does not allow all-weather operations.
“When it rains, we stop operations for two hours before we resume to give the runway time to absorb all the water,” he said.
Vine Air Flight Academy, which has been managing Jinja airfield for the last seven, years has been pivotal in training pilots at different levels.
At least 11 pilots have received their practicing licence upon completion of their course at Vine Air flight Academy. Of these, nine acquired private pilots licence and two commercial pilot licence.
Captain Katendeigwa challenged government to step up strategies to sponsor young pilots to upgrade in their profession, saying training to be a pilot is a “very expensive venture which can’t be managed by an ordinary parent”.
“Training a single pilot requires close to Shs300 million, which is quite high for an ordinary citizen,” he said.
The President Uganda Pilots Association, Captain Aziz Ssentamu, said there is a need for more pilots since the sector is still virgin.
According to Sentamu, Uganda Airlines currently employs 50 pilots but there is need for 200 pilots to service to Uganda airline business
