I was a pilot for TropicAir when I first landed there in a 10 seater Islander - a few days after Hugo. The runway (under construction) was half the length, and covered with rolled marl dust. Braking was just about zero - if I braked too hard the wheels just slid over the dust.

And I landed from the north, at maximum allowed landing weight, with 9 passengers. Every seat had canned food and emergency items under it, and the catgo hold was completely full. If I remember correctly, I had some big-up aid people on board.

On later flights I brought in my own AID supplies to help out - coolers full of ice which I delivered the shop nearby, to sell what were probably among the only cold beers on the island (if only for a short time!)

In those days, as I approached - and departed - the whole island was brown, stripped of vegetation, all trees horizontal, and only about 10% of the houses had roofs. A sad sight indeed.

But that was then. I later serviced Canefield working for LIAT’s 4 Island Air on chartered and scheduled flights (Islander and Trislander), in all kinds of weather, and later moved to operating the Twin Otter flights from Antigua through Canefield down to St. Lucia, Barbados, Mustique, Union Island, Carriacou and Grenada.

And I do remember the approach from the north… call the Tower passing Layou while parallelling the coastline offshore, then turn left and angle in, aiming at the church on the hill just north of the airport. Then, at just the right moment, a sharp right turn - descending all the while - to end up on the runway centreline and ready to land.

Back then, of the routes I flew all the time only Montserrat and Union Island were more difficult to land at.

I will not tell you about the many instances of severe turbulence, strong updrafts and downdrafts… the story alone might make you airsick!!

(Formerly Capt) Jim Lynch
Toronto, Canada