To correct some misinformation about Haiti's airport:

[ddeclue]

1) A control tower is NOT required for a pilot to take off or land. That said, not having one makes the airport "uncontrolled" meaning the pilots must self announce and watch out for each other - this makes the situation more dangerous and makes it more likely there will be a mid air or ground collision which could block a runway or cause more damage and loss of life.

2) There is one airport there that has long runways capable of handling large commercial jets in Haiti. That said there are several smaller airports in outlying areas and even if there is damage to the long runway, it can still be used for smaller planes depending on how the runway might be damaged and it should be possible for the U.S. military to quickly repair runway damage. Military transport planes like the C17 and C130 are capable of landing and takeoff in very short distances so even though the runway may not be full length, if they have 5000 foot of serviceable runway C17's should be able to land and C130's should be able to do with even less.

3) Navigation aids may or may not be down. This can be a problem but it is less of a problem than it would have been 20 years ago since the advent of GPS. The instrument landing system and runway lights are the most important things that must work but the weather for the foreseeable future is forecast to be VFR. It is not an absolute requirement to have runway lights for take off or landing at night but it is very difficult to do without them.

[malaise]

1. I heard that one of the US ships will be doing the navigation work

at the main airport

[hootinholler]

2. Once the Vinson arrives

They will have a complete airport C3, minus the view of the field.

A number of other ships should be controller capable in a pinch.

-Hoot