ONOUN AIRSTRIP READY FOR LANDING

March 25, 2013

By Bill Hagen
The Cuthbert Project

After several weeks of delay due to the rains the Onoun airstrip is now ready. It has been cut, cleared and swept and now looks better than it has for years. This was an island community effort by people realizing the necessity of having access to better transportation services. Too often people in need of medical services are required to take a small boat the 130 miles to Weno, or do without if the weather is bad. The airport also provides necessary support services to "Northwestern High School" which serves several hundred students from the "Northwestern" islands.

Bushcutters, chainsaws, spare parts, machettes and gas were delivered by The Cuthbert Project in January and now after hundreds of man hours spent on the airstrip it is ready for Caroline Island Air to begin service once again.

[Editor's note: Alex Tretnoff, pilot for Caroline Islands Air said that the last time he flew to Onoun the condition of the runway nearly took the landing gear off of his plane. Afther that experience he pulled the plug on flights to Onoun. He was excited to hear that the runway is ready again and looks forward to making his next trip. He said that no one had told him about the rehabilitation of the runway. ]