VIRGIN GORDA NEWS RELEASE

Virgin Gorda is suppose to open On Dec First 2010 however Airport will open as an Uncertificated Airport with Limitations and Restrictions and Cessna 402C being a Commuter Size Aircraft is not being allowed to land by ASSI, this in spite of 12 years of previous continuous service by Air Sunshine, over 50,000 landings and having the world's most experienced VIJ Pilots on the staff.

 Air Sunshine has appealed ASSI's decision to the Governor under article 146 of the Air Navigation Order that gives authority to the Governor to issue exemptions in the public interest. However under advice by ASSI, the Governor has denied this request stating that he can only issue exemptions to the order and not the conditions and restrictions imposed on Virgin Gorda Airport by ASSI. This does not make sense because if a regulation can be exempted then a condition that has less regulatory weight and it is optional in nature should be more logical to waive or exempt. ASSI is making these new rules in contradiction to article 37 and 153 of the Air Navigation Order but are careful to call the new rules conditions in order to circumnavigate their own regulations. ASSI  closed the airport on Jan 28,2010 citing one single rule; 105(6), a generic safety rule that states ASSI has the power to close an airport if it deems it unsafe however safety is not a perception but must be based on trends and mathematical or scientific data and  simply there is no data or records that suggests that operations of C402 in daylight in Virgin Gorda is less safe than operations of large aircraft at night in Beef, in fact 50,000 landings in VIJ from sunrise to sunset is the trend, data and the proof that VIJ is safe for a C402C. ASSI has brought the economy of Virgin Gorda to its knees and continues to show a total disregard for public interest.

 Air Sunshine is prepared to challenge ASSI's decision in court but strongly feels that this is not an Air Sunshine issue and the BVI Government and the public must take a more active role defending their interests and rights.  We hope that we will be given permission to resume flight operations soon but in any case for the time being we will continue our complimentary boat service that has been offered to the public since April first to and from Trellis Bay and Spanish Town. The airport is closed now to public at large since Air Sunshine is the only Scheduled Commuter serving the Virgin Gorda Airport and it appears after a substantial expenditure of money by BVI Government, the airport will be open only to private charter operators using smaller and lighter aircraft and will be only available to few rich customers that can afford it rather than the local residents and the members of the community.