Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport

Saba's airstrip is laid on Flat Point, a shelf of old lava on the island's eastern tip, and at around four hundred metres it is one of the shortest runways in commercial use anywhere, with cliffs dropping into the sea at both ends. Only small aircraft operate it and pilots need a specific qualification to fly in. From the road above, the whole approach and landing can be watched.

History

Remy de Haenen proposed an airport and chose Flat Point after surveying the island from the air, and on 9 February 1959 he made the first landing on Saba before almost the whole island; no flights followed for years, until the Dutch government provided 600,000 guilders, with the backing of the Aruban minister Juancho Irausquin. George Greaux landed the first plane on the new asphalt runway on 1 February 1963, the airport opened on 24 July 1963 named after Irausquin, who had died the year before, and Winair has served it with Twin Otters since 1965 (Wikipedia, Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport).

What's there

• The runway - around four hundred metres with cliffs at both ends.
• Flat Point - the shelf of old lava the strip is laid on.
• The approach - aircraft turning in over the sea to line up.
• The viewpoint - the road above where the whole landing can be watched.

When to go

December to April is drier with fewer cancellations. Wind and cloud close the strip regularly. Flights are few, so watching means timing.

Things to know

There are only a handful of flights a day, so watching one means checking the schedule. The strip closes in wind and cloud and delays are routine. Access is to the road above, not airside.

Nearby

Zion's Hill is west, and Cove Bay is below.

Key facts