Fire in Iloilo’s new international airport

Two dry NOTAMs informed pilots yesterday about an incident in ILO/RPVI (IloIlo International Airport).

The first NOTAM says that the Precision Approach Path Indicator on Runway 02 has resumed service and that the same service on Runway 20 is unavailable.

C0235/12 NOTAMR C0227/12
Q) RPHI/QLPAS/IV/BO /A /000/999/1050N12230E005
A) RPVI B) 1205012125 C) 1205042200 EST
E) PAPI RWY 02 RESUMED NML OPS.
 PAPI RWY 20 U/S.
CREATED: 01 May 2012 21:26:00

The second NOTAM says that the Precision Approach Path Indicator on Runway 20 is (still) unavailable.

C0236/12 NOTAMR C0226/12
Q) RPHI/QLKAS/I /BO /A /000/999/1050N12230E005
A) RPVI B) 1205012127 C) 1205042200 EST
E) APCH LGT SYSTEM PALS RWY 20 U/S
CREATED: 01 May 2012 21:28:00

What had happened?

A power outage caused by fire at the power plant of the Iloilo International Airport left the airport in the dark. The fire, which erupted at around 4:35 p.m., could have been caused by a short circuit of the power plant’s Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS).

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), all night flights, starting at 5:45 PM, were cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers in Manila and Iloilo stranded at the airports. At least 18 flights, 9 Iloilo-bound and 9 Manila-bound, were cancelled Tuesday evening.

[Editor’s comment:] Nasty, isn’t it. No, worse! The incident just happened one day after Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) area manager Efren Nagrama announced that the New Iloilo Airport is now ready to accept international flights. Big UPS installations are potentially dangerous. I had seen myself two UPS burning and paralyzing the IT services, they should have protected. I feel sorry for the guys in Iloilo.