Operation Grasshopper
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Operation Grasshopper
Operation Grasshopper was a project to look for natural resources in Suriname from the air. For this project, seven airstrips were constructed in the interior of Suriname from 1959 onward. The project was the brainchild of the Minister of Development of Suriname at the time, Frank Essed. In order to speed up the process of mapping the natural resources of the country—under the method used at the time it would at least take another few decades before the whole country was mapped—the plan foresaw in the exploration of the country by flying over it using planes with magnetometers and scintillometers on board. In order to be able to do this, seven airstrips were needed in the interior of Suriname. The 7 airstrips were built for the purpose to make the interior accessible for exploration activities. During the construction of an airport near Paloemeu, a plane carrying building material crashed nearby. The pilot and co-pilot, Vincent Fajks and Ronald Kappel died in the ...
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Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, and Brazil to the south. At just under , it is the smallest sovereign state in South America. It has a population of approximately , dominated by descendants from the slaves and labourers brought in from Africa and Asia by the Dutch Empire and Republic. Most of the people live by the country's (north) coast, in and around its capital and largest city, Paramaribo. It is also List of countries and dependencies by population density, one of the least densely populated countries on Earth. Situated slightly north of the equator, Suriname is a tropical country dominated by rainforests. Its extensive tree cover is vital to the country's efforts to Climate change in Suriname, mitigate climate ch ...
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Bauxite
Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO(OH)), mixed with the two iron oxides goethite (FeO(OH)) and haematite (Fe2O3), the aluminium clay mineral kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4) and small amounts of anatase (TiO2) and ilmenite (FeTiO3 or FeO.TiO2). Bauxite appears dull in luster and is reddish-brown, white, or tan. In 1821, the French geologist Pierre Berthier discovered bauxite near the village of Les Baux in Provence, southern France. Formation Numerous classification schemes have been proposed for bauxite but, , there was no consensus. Vadász (1951) distinguished lateritic bauxites (silicate bauxites) from karst bauxite ores (carbonate bauxites): * The carbonate bauxites occur predominantly in Europe, Guyana, Suriname, and Jamaica above carbonate rocks (limestone and do ...
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Oelemari Airport
Oelemari Airstrip is an airstrip located near the Oelemari River in Suriname. This small grass airstrip was constructed as part of the Operation Grasshopper project in Suriname. Airstrip history The Oelemari Airstrip is a small airport with an unpaved runway in southwestern Suriname of which the runway is laid out in the framework of Operation Grasshopper and it is named after the Oelemari River. Beginning 1960 an expedition, led by Ir. Herman I.L. van Eyck, arrived there to be able to start the construction of the runway. On July 9 of that year a Northrop YC-125 Raider, a three-engined STOL utility transport airplane landed there for the first time, which was used for further construction. More than a month later that same plane, which was leased by the Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij from Ambrose Aviation in the U.S., crashed there. Oelemari was opened for public traffic in March 1962. Charters and destinations Airlines serving charter flights to this airport are: A ...
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Kayser Airstrip
Kayser Jan Gouka Airstrip is near the Kayser Mountains range in Sipaliwini District, Suriname. It was constructed as part of Operation Grasshopper ( a project to look for natural resources) and has one long grass runway. Fishing and wildlife tours are prime users of the airstrip. History The runway was laid out in the framework of Operation Grasshopper and is located on the Zuid River (branch of the Lucie River) near the Kayser Mountain range, named after the explorer Mr. C.C. Käyser. In July 1959 under the direction of Dirk Geijskes an expedition began in preparation for the airports at the Coeroeni River and the Kayser Mountains. In December 1960, Kayser Airstrip opened up for public air traffic in Suriname. On 25 October 1968 a KLM Aerocarto C-47A registered PH-DAA flew into Tafelberg Mountain, Suriname, following an engine failure while on a survey flight. The aircraft collided with the mountain in cloudy conditions, killing three of the five people on board.. In mem ...
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Coeroeni Airstrip
Coeroeni Airstrip is an airstrip located near Kuruni (variant spellings: ''Coeroeni'', ''Coeroenie'', or ''Curuni'') in Suriname. It was constructed as part of Operation Grasshopper. Charters and destinations Charter Airlines serving this airport are: Accidents and incidents * On 2 September 1960 a Cessna Bobcat UC-78C Bobcat, registration PZ-TAE from the Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij crashed at Curuni. There were no fatalities or injuries, the pilot was M. Wybenga. See also * List of airports in Suriname * Transport in Suriname The Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname) has a number of forms of transport. Transportation emissions are an increasing part of Suriname's contributions to climate change, as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions for the Paris ... References External links *OpenStreetMaps – Coeroenie

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Kabalebo Airstrip
Kabalebo Airstrip serves the village of Kabalebo, Suriname. It was constructed as part of Operation Grasshopper. Facilities The Kabalebo Airstrip has one long unpaved runway. The main-lodge of the Kabalebo Nature Resort and its swimming pool are adjacent to the runway. Airlines and destinations Currently, no scheduled services are offered from Kabalebo. Charter Airlines serving this airport are: Accidents and incidents * On 23 June 1965 a Beech G18S, registration PZ-TAR from the Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij equipped with JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off) rockets crashed at Kabalebo. There were no fatalities; the pilot was J. den Besten.http://landewers.net/PZ.TXT See also * * * List of airports in Suriname * Transport in Suriname The Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname) has a number of forms of transport. Transportation emissions are an increasing part of Suriname's contributions to climate change, as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions for ...
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West Suriname Plan
The ''West Suriname Plan'' was an economic development plan for the western part of Suriname. As originally conceived, it consists among others of the mining of bauxite in the Bakhuis Mountains, the building of a hydroelectric power plant on the Kabalebo River, and the construction of a harbour and an aluminium smelter at Apoera. The plan was the brainchild of former Surinamese Minister of Development Frank Essed.Trouw.nl Roemrucht plan West-Suriname herleeft/ref> Overview In 1963, Operation Grasshopper found bauxite deposits in the Bakhuis Mountains. Two years later, extensive explorations were conducted by and Billiton. After a commercial joint venture established by Reynolds Surinam Mines and (Grassalco) failed to take off, the Surinamese government devised the West Suriname Plan to develop the region by the government.Marie-Josée Artist and Carla Madsian (2007) West Suriname: Wat Betekent Een Geintegreerde Aluminium Industrie Voor De Inheemse Gemeenchappen? pp. 28-29. ...
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Bakhuis Mountains
The Bakhuis Mountains () are a mountain range in central Suriname, spanning 110 kilometres. The mountain range form of the Northern part of the Wilhelmina Mountains, and the mountains and its village were named after the Netherlands, Dutch explorer and Royal Dutch East Indies Army officer . It is situated in the Sipaliwini Savanna (town), Sipaliwini Savanna District of Suriname. The Bakhuys Airstrip is nearby the village. The Bakhuis Mountains have rich deposits of bauxite, as well as nickel and copper. In 1974, a new mineral named ((Mg, Fe2+)3Al4BeSi3O16) was found in the mountain range. The Bakhuis mountain range is an area of 2800 km² and contains a large concession area for mining bauxite, in which both the Surinamese company and foreign exploitation companies are interested. Ecologists fear destruction of jungle area when the mining commences. In the second half of the 20th century there was already a plan to economically exploit the area: the West Suriname Plan, cent ...
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Tafelberg Airstrip
Rudi Kappel Airstrip is located south of the Tafelberg tepui in Suriname. It was constructed as part of Operation Grasshopper. It used to be named Tafelberg Airstrip, but was renamed Rudi Kappel Airstrip, after the co-pilot of a flight that crashed near Vincent Fayks Airport on 6 October 1959. History The airstrip was the first airstrip to be constructed in the interior of Suriname. On 3 March 1958, the expedition to the Tafelberg began. One of the goals of the expedition was to examine whether an airstrip could be built on the savanna. On 16 March, Rudi Kappel, H. Massink, and 18 Amerindians started clearing the area, and on 24 March, the first plane landed on the airstrip. In February 1959, Operation Grasshopper was announced which intended to map the natural resources in the interior of Suriname. As part of the operation, six more airstrips were to be constructed. Charters and destinations Charter Airlines serving this airport are: Accidents and incidents * On 25 ...
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Airstrip
An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes include small general aviation airfields, large commercial airports, and military air bases. The term ''airport'' may imply a certain stature (having satisfied certain certification criteria or regulatory requirements) that not all aerodromes may have achieved. That means that all airports are aerodromes, but not all aerodromes are airports. Usage of the term "aerodrome" remains more common in Ireland and Commonwealth nations, and is conversely almost unknown in American English, where the term "airport" is applied almost exclusively. A water aerodrome is an area of open water used regularly by seaplanes, floatplanes or amphibious aircraft for landing and taking off. In formal terminology, as defined by th ...
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Vincent Fayks Airport
Vincent Fayks Airstrip , in Paloemeu, Suriname. The airport was constructed as part of Operation Grasshopper. It was named after the Polish pilot Vincent Fajks who crashed with co-pilot Ronald Kappel with their Aero Commander AC 520 (PZ-TAG) airplane at the site in October 1959, while trying to deliver building materials for the airport. They both received a state funeral in Paramaribo on 11 October 1959. There is a jungle resort on the Tapanahony River near Paloemeu. Charters and destinations Charter Airlines serving this airport are: See also * * * List of airports in Suriname * Transport in Suriname The Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname) has a number of forms of transport. Transportation emissions are an increasing part of Suriname's contributions to climate change, as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions for the Par ... References External linksOpenStreetMaps - Vincent Fayks
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Ronald Kappel
Ronald "Rudi" Elwin Kappel (8 November 1926 – 6 October 1959) was a Surinamese pilot. He was one of the founders of ''Luchtvaartbedrijf Kappel-Van Eyck'' which is now called Surinam Airways, the first airline in Suriname. He also helped construct the Zorg en Hoop Airport, and the Rudi Kappel Airstrip. Kappel died in an air crash near Paloemeu. Biography Kappel was born on 8 November 1926 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Both his parents were from Suriname. He went to the United States and obtained his pilot licence in 1948. In 1950, Kappel met Leendert Jägers, director of Ypenburg Airport near the Hague, with whom he had wanted to establish the first Surinamese airline company. They had planned to begin operations in February 1951. A second-hand Cessna AT-17 Bobcat was purchased. On 5 February, one engine failed near Aruba, and then the other stopped as well. Kappel was forced to make an emergency landing at Bubali. Both Kappel and Maurice Young, his passenger, escaped with minor ...
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