"It's harder to fly locally in the country then to fly somewhere overseas"
"Foreign pilots have told me: You have everything but you don't know how to exploit it"
Local civil aviation is mature enough to be able to have flights between tourist destinations
Bournigal pointed out that in the country there are 22 airport facilities, more than 200 qualified pilots, some 80 helicopters and more than 100 private aircraft. The pilot recalled that "the phenomena of Punta Cana had as its principal motor a "little grass landing strip" among trees and nobody would have thought that it could be what it has become today. And just like that we have other points in the country such as Constanza, Montecristi, Barahona, Samana, and Cabo Rojo," he said.
Nevertheless, as John Pierre Oquet relates, the reality is that local flights suffer from Dominican bureaucracy which is holding back its development, "in spite of the fact that we have a geographical location that is outstanding. We, with the attitude of our authorities, are not promoting visitors," regrets Oquet. He calls attention to the fact that from the time they land the tourist suffers from the lack of a protocol imposed by the authorities. "An aircraft that reaches the Dominican Republic is received on the ramp by a minimum of 7 or 8 persons who are not in uniform, not identified. This causes panic to the tourist," says Oquet, who noted that these are members of the authorities. "But except for the members of the Directorate of Migration who use their uniforms constantly, you have closing in on your aircraft persons who are not uniformed and without any identification visible and you don't know if they're coming to assault you or what. This is not done in other countries." He says that these visitors complain that they have talked to foreign pilots that make private flights to the country and that they do not find this happening in a habitual manner in other places. "They tell me you have everything, but you don't know how to exploit it." He pointed out that in the Bahamas they carry out tens of thousands of flights a year, while in the Dominican Republic which has more destinations there are barely a few hundred.
The Pilots Association recognizes that the state actors and Aerodom have begun to work in this direction. In this sense Fernando Nuñez noted that in order to take off pilots suffer impediments to get into the aircraft. "With the flight plan authorized, when you arrive at your destination, the landing strip makes objections because the authorities have not reported the flight. Then there is the absence of clear criteria, which you can say "these are the rules and with them I can lay out my plans." The other problem is the change of authorities. Now we begin to talk with the CESAC but when they change one person we have to start again. Definitely, it is more difficult to carry out local flights from Punta Cana to Santiago, then fly to the United States," said the pilot.
"El Higüero is a Republic apart"
Regarding the problems that the National Association of Pilots points out is the Joaquin Balaguer Airport, better known as El Higüero. Fernando Nuñez says that it is "a Republic apart" because of the way it is run. Nuñez points out that they have had complaints from foreign pilots that have suffered in order to get into their aircraft. "Recently a pilot told me that he had to wait for three hours in order for him to get into the aircraft." Douglas Bournigal explains that "El Higüero is a private airport and it turns out that it is the airport of Santo Domingo, where local aviation has to make its living and develop. Nevertheless we are captive there since (the old airport at) Herrera closed down. We are constantly talking with Aerodom and with the CESAC, establishing dialogues, looking for a solution," says Bournigal.
Bournigal pointed out that in the country there are 22 airport facilities, more than 200 qualified pilots, some 80 helicopters and more than 100 private aircraft. The pilot recalled that "the phenomena of Punta Cana had as its principal motor a "little grass landing strip" among trees and nobody would have thought that it could be what it has become today. And just like that we have other points in the country such as Constanza, Montecristi, Barahona, Samana, and Cabo Rojo," he said.
Nevertheless, as John Pierre Oquet relates, the reality is that local flights suffer from Dominican bureaucracy which is holding back its development, "in spite of the fact that we have a geographical location that is outstanding. We, with the attitude of our authorities, are not promoting visitors," regrets Oquet. He calls attention to the fact that from the time they land the tourist suffers from the lack of a protocol imposed by the authorities. "An aircraft that reaches the Dominican Republic is received on the ramp by a minimum of 7 or 8 persons who are not in uniform, not identified. This causes panic to the tourist," says Oquet, who noted that these are members of the authorities. "But except for the members of the Directorate of Migration who use their uniforms constantly, you have closing in on your aircraft persons who are not uniformed and without any identification visible and you don't know if they're coming to assault you or what. This is not done in other countries." He says that these visitors complain that they have talked to foreign pilots that make private flights to the country and that they do not find this happening in a habitual manner in other places. "They tell me you have everything, but you don't know how to exploit it." He pointed out that in the Bahamas they carry out tens of thousands of flights a year, while in the Dominican Republic which has more destinations there are barely a few hundred.
The Pilots Association recognizes that the state actors and Aerodom have begun to work in this direction. In this sense Fernando Nuñez noted that in order to take off pilots suffer impediments to get into the aircraft. "With the flight plan authorized, when you arrive at your destination, the landing strip makes objections because the authorities have not reported the flight. Then there is the absence of clear criteria, which you can say "these are the rules and with them I can lay out my plans." The other problem is the change of authorities. Now we begin to talk with the CESAC but when they change one person we have to start again. Definitely, it is more difficult to carry out local flights from Punta Cana to Santiago, then fly to the United States," said the pilot.
"El Higüero is a Republic apart"
Regarding the problems that the National Association of Pilots points out is the Joaquin Balaguer Airport, better known as El Higüero. Fernando Nuñez says that it is "a Republic apart" because of the way it is run. Nuñez points out that they have had complaints from foreign pilots that have suffered in order to get into their aircraft. "Recently a pilot told me that he had to wait for three hours in order for him to get into the aircraft." Douglas Bournigal explains that "El Higüero is a private airport and it turns out that it is the airport of Santo Domingo, where local aviation has to make its living and develop. Nevertheless we are captive there since (the old airport at) Herrera closed down. We are constantly talking with Aerodom and with the CESAC, establishing dialogues, looking for a solution," says Bournigal.