| L'Espérance Airport Grand Case Airport Aérodrome de Grand-Case Espérance |
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|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: SFG/CCE – ICAO: TFFG | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Mairie de Saint-Martin | ||
| Serves | Saint-Martin | ||
| Location | Grand-Case | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 20 ft / 6 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Map | |||
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TFFG
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 12/30 | 1,200 | 3,937 | Asphalt |
| Sources: French AIP,[1] | |||
L'Espérance Airport[2][3] (IATA: SFG[3][4]/CCE[5], ICAO: TFFG[1] ), also known as Grand Case Airport (French: Aérodrome de Grand-Case Espérance), is a public use airport located in Grand Case, on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The airport is only used for smaller aircraft as Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side of the island (known as Sint Maarten) is served by all major carriers.
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In 1994, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France signed the Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls, which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights". After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in the Netherlands, and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Though the treaty is now in force, its provisions are not yet implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed.
Since official opening of the new control-tower PJIA Air Traffic Controllers have two radar systems at their disposal with a range of 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) and 250 NM (460 km; 290 mi). PJIA air traffic control manages 4,000 sq nmi (14,000 km2; 5,300 sq mi) of airspace around the airport. Besides providing approach, tower and ground control at PJIA, Juliana air traffic services also provides approach control for Wallblake Airport(Anguilla), L'Esperance Airport (St Martin, French West Indies), Gustaf III Airport (St. Barths, French West Indies), F.D. Roosevelt Airport (St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles) and Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport (Saba, Netherlands Antilles).
Incoming airplanes approach the island on short final for runway 12 over the bay of Grand-Case which is a tremendous view on final approach or when winds direction changes which is common incoming airplanes approach the island on short final for runway 30 which is the opposite direction.
Larger aircrafts such as the ATR 72-500 powerbacks after lining up on the runway for departure due to the short runway.
The regional Esperance Airport at Grand Case allows the quickest transfers for commercial inter-island flights and for private aircraft (required to give a 24-hour notice to the Airport Authorities before landing).
The following commercial airlines provide scheduled passenger service:[2]
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Antilles Express | Pointe-à-Pitre |
| Air Caraïbes | Pointe-à-Pitre |
| Air Guyane Express | Pointe-à-Pitre |
| St Barth Commuter | Saint Barthélemy [2][3] |
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| St Barth Commuter | Saint Barthélemy |
| Trans Anguilla Airways | Anguilla |