Boom equipment on Aeon Towers risks plane landing

Nabua explained that approaching the runway 5 passes over Mamay area. (Photo: Aeon Towers Davao/Facebook)

DAVAO CITY – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the city government ordered the developer of Aeon Towers to take down its boom equipment from the rooftop of the building as it poses danger to the landing path to the Davao International Airport (DIA).

CAAP Officer-in-Charge Hector Nabua said CAAP has called the attention of the developer of Aeon Towers a month ago because the boom equipment or crane is obstructing the landing path of runway 5 of the DIA.

Nabua said the building height passed the CAAP height clearance but when the developer set up the boom equipment it already exceeded the allowed height.

The boom equipment alone is estimated at 13 meters in height.

According to Nabua, the boom equipment is detected by the aircraft’s sensors and alarm forcing an abort landing or miss approach.

Nabua explained that approaching the runway 5 passes over Mamay area.

With this problem, CAAP closed runway 5 for all pilots approaching DIA because of the obstruction.

All pilots were then directed to land through runway 2 and 3 (over Panacan area).

Nabua said CAAP negotiated with the developers but they only moved the equipment horizontally to clear the landing path.
“Okay naman ito sa ngayon. Pero pag maglanding ang eroplano kasi lagging against the wind (This is okay for now. But airplanes always land against the wind),” Nabua said.

He said landing through runway 2 and 3 is okay for now because the wind is favourable for landing.

“But what if the wind change direction?” Nabua asked. He said in a month, wind changes direction so CAAP would need to open runway 5.

He said if airplanes land with the wind the tendency is they are pushed more causing to overrun the runway.
“This is a safety hazard,” Nabua said.

Since CAAP called the attention of the developer, Nabua said nothing has been done to remove the equipment which worried them.

So, CAAP sought the help of Mayor Sara Duterte being the authority in issuing permits for all building constructions in the city.

On Thursday, Nabua said he met with Assistant City Administrator Dwight Domingo to seek the city’s intervention. In that meeting, the developer promised to remove the equipment.

The order to remove the equipment is immediate but since posting nothing has been done, Nabua said.

Nabua is hoping that by Monday, the developer already complied with its promise. Aeon Towers is being developed by FTC Group of Companies Corporation.