LBR - Spriggs Payne Airport - Description

Authority Operating Agency Administration Domestic Airports of the Liberian Civil Aviation Division Security Operation UNMIL Operations ICRC Operations WFP Operations Working Hours Lighting Air Control Tower Communication Storage Fuel Handling Equipment Hangars

Spriggs Payne Airport - named after Liberia’s fourth president - is located approximately 4 miles from downtown Monrovia, in the suburb of Sinkor. Other than Roberts International Airport, located 35 miles away from Monrovia, it is the only operational airport in Liberia. The airport runway is 6,000 ft long (1829 m), a 100 ft wide, and paved.  There are two taxiways which have the strength of 30,000 lbs and a width of 40 ft each. The runway has no indicators, no lights and needs to be re-surfaced and re-graded.  The SM Beacon is inactive. The strength of the runway is 114,000 lbs.  Six (6) hangars are situated at the airport; three (3) need repair while the rest are damaged.  .

The airport was a major coordination point for all domestic flights from Monrovia to the provincial headquarters and to capitals of the neighboring countries; mainly Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast. UNMIL is primarily using the airport now. The airport has been closed for the past two (2) years to commercial traffic and a resumption of such activity is dependent on the general repair of the airport. UNMIL is currently conducting repair work on the runway, the terminal, VIP lounge, communication equipment, fencing of the runway, and provision of fire-safety equipment.

Authority

Ministry of Transport

Operating Agency

Liberia Domestic Airports Agency
P.O. Box 3817
Spriggs-Payne Airport

Administration

James Spriggs-Payne Airport is administered by the Liberia Domestic Airport Agency, under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport. This agency managed 10 domestic airports around the country prior to the civil war.

The current contacts for the administration are listed below.

The office of the Director of Civil Aviation is currently situated at James Spriggs Payne Airport. The Agency of Civil Aviation has been involved in reviewing regulations and re-establishing international aviation standards. This includes restoration of the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication System (AFTN); defining search and rescue procedures; establishing an aviation security programme; and, setting up an air navigation system.  The Bureau is responsible for processing over flight clearances, registration of aircraft, air craft licenses, and air services agreements.

The Director of Civil Aviation is Mr. James Attoh, Tel: + 377 47 550 712, E-mail:

• jamiaattoh@hotmail.com,
• caalib@hotmail.com
• dca_lib@hotmail.com

Domestic Airports of the Liberian Civil Aviation Division

Security

Security is provided by the UNMIL which has a contingent stationed at the airport. The contingent is composed of troops from Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana and has been in charge of the airport since August 2003:

•  Lt. Col. Alex Appiah-Agyapong: Operations Officer, Tel: + 377-47-529651

Operation

UNMIL Operations

UNMIL Air Operations are part of the UN effort in reconstructing a functional society in Liberia.  The goal of UNMIL Air Operations is to rehabilitate infrastructures of the air service industry in Liberia. As part of its implementation, UNMIL has expanded its operations and established both an Air Operations Section and a Movement Control Centre (MOVCON). The function of the Air Operations Centre is the handling and tasking of aircrafts, ensuring compliance and quality assurance, planning and scheduling, flight following  and air traffic control. The Movement Control Centre (MOVCON) is responsible for passenger and cargo handling. UNMIL Air Operations shall oversee the rehabilitation and upgrading of all domestic airports in Liberia. Beginning with those at Voinjama, Harper, Greenville, Gbarnga and James Spriggs-Payne in Monrovia, the rehabilitation projects shall cover a total of twenty-three airports around the country. The Air Operations are currently operating at three main hubs at Monrovia, Gbarnga and Greenville pending the full deployment of the troops. Civilian administrators are to be assigned at each airport around Liberia by UNMIL. These administrators are to manage these airports and assist in the capacity building of the local structures.  Additionally, MOVCON is expected to set up facilities at the Spriggs Payne terminal. These include a ticketing counter and baggage carts, which shall improve the quality of passenger services at the airport. Furthermore, a larger aircraft (DASH-7) is expected into the country for use by UNMIL Air Operations for the conveyance of more passengers and cargo to and from the James Spriggs-Payne airport. UNMIL is operating one fixed wing airplane Beechcraft King Air 200 along with six MI8 helicopters.

UNMIL Air Operations Contacts:

•  Mr. Carl Markussen: OIC UNMIL Air Operations/Aviation Section
• Mr. Chris Njenga: OIC- Technical Compliance/ UNMIL Air Operations, Tel: +377 47 538246, E-mail: njengac@un.org
• Mr. Thomas Vandy: UNMIL Spriggs-Payne Airfield Manager, Tel: +377 47 542883
• Mr. Tomislav Ristov: UNMIL Chief, Air Operations Centre, Tel: + 377 47 532504, E-mail: ristov@un.org
• Ms. Griffith, MOVCON, Tel: + 377 47 530 602, E-mail: griffithsk@un.org
• Mr. Idrissa Ezeh: UNMIL RIA Manager
• Mr. Assamis Comporare: UNMIL Gbranga Airfield Manager
• Mr. George Kabia: UNMIL Greenville Airfield Manager

ICRC Operations

ICRC is operating their Beechcraft King Air 200 from Spriggs Payne Airport.  In country, ICRC flies to Voinjama and Zwedru. Presently, these flights only accommodate ICRC staff. Any requests for consideration to personnel other than those of ICRC, contact should be made with:

• Head of Delegation, Mr. Reto Stocker, Tel: + 377 47 556 558
• Deputy Head of Delegation, Mr. Jordi Raich, Tel: + 377 47 527859

WFP Operations

WFP has shifted its operations from Roberts International Airport (RIA) to Spriggs Payne. WFP Air Service currently operates services between Abidjan, Conakry, Monrovia, and Freetown. WFP is operating a LET 410 and possess an office at the James Spriggs-Payne airport.

Air Planning Officer, Victor Cole, Tel: + 377 47 531423, E-mail: victor.cole@wfp.org

Working Hours

Monday-Saturday: 0800-1700 Administration. Available on request at other hours where necessary. 

Note: Operational hours are determined by UNMIL.    

Lighting

Lighting at the airport is provided UNMIL, although the airport has a generator. The tower is run by a smaller generator.  No night landing facilities are now available; however, this is being given attention by UNMIL.

Air Control Tower

The ATC is located at the top of the terminal and is a mobile tower

Communication

Airband:
118.7 VHF (main frequency)
6489 HF (currently inactive)
8861 HF (used to monitor air traffic)

UNMIL has installed an HF communication system, which has enhanced the communication ability of the airport.

Storage

The customs authority has a storage facility at the airport. It is not in use because there are no commercial activities at the port.

Fuel

Jet fuel is provided by Exxon Mobil Incorporated. The storage facility of Mobil at Spriggs Payne has a maximum storage load of 42,000 gallons. Currently, only jet fuel is stored at the facility. Three tanks are available at the Mobil fuel terminal; they measure 25’ 6” in length and 10’ height. Each has an average capacity of 14,000 gallons. Re-fueling is done on the tarmac of the airport by tankers. Fueling is done at the airport 0645-1845 daily. AVGAS 100/130 and Jet A-1/Aeroil 100 may be provided. Facilities for these are already available at the airport.

Handling Equipment

There is no handling equipment at the airport; except for a baggage cart.

There is a fire truck that is being serviced.  It has a capacity of 1000 USG and 500 protein foam. Cargo handling is done manually.

Hangars

There are six (6) hangars at the Spriggs-Payne airport. Three (3) are functionally adequate, and the rest are damaged and need repair. Those in use are the Executive Air Wing, now housing UNMIL Air Operations and the Liberia Air Force (LAF) which is currently the headquarters of Sector II of UNMIL. The WEASUA Air Transport hangar and that of the LWPC are not functional. The main terminal provides offices for both the Aviation Section and MOVCON. Most facilities are currently being used by UNMIL. .