# Operation Grasshopper

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{{Short description|Suriname natural resources search project}}
{{Location map+|Suriname|width=400|caption=The seven new airstrips|places=
  {{Location map~|Suriname|lat_deg=4|lat_min=24|lat_sec=22|lat_dir=N|lon_deg=57|lon_min=13|lon_sec=23|lon_dir=W| position=bottom|mark=Airplane-logo.png|marksize=18|label=Kabalebo}}
  {{Location map~|Suriname|lat_deg=3|lat_min=6|lat_sec=0|lat_dir=N|lon_deg=56|lon_min=28|lon_sec=59|lon_dir=W| position=bottom|mark=Airplane-logo.png|marksize=18|label=Kayser}}
  {{Location map~|Suriname|lat_deg=3|lat_min=6|lat_sec=19|lat_dir=N|lon_deg=54|lon_min=32|lon_sec=29|lon_dir=W| position=bottom|mark=Airplane-logo.png|marksize=18|label=Oelemari}}
  {{Location map~|Suriname|lat_deg=2|lat_min=1|lat_sec=59|lat_dir=N|lon_deg=56|lon_min=6|lon_sec=55|lon_dir=W| position=bottom|mark=Airplane-logo.png|marksize=18|label=Sipaliwini}}
  {{Location map~|Suriname|lat_deg=3|lat_min=20|lat_sec=46|lat_dir=N|lon_deg=55|lon_min=26|lon_sec=30|lon_dir=W| position=bottom|mark=Airplane-logo.png|marksize=18|label=Vincent Fayks}}
  {{Location map~|Suriname|lat_deg=3|lat_min=47|lat_sec=0|lat_dir=N|lon_deg=56|lon_min=9|lon_sec=0|lon_dir=W| position=bottom|mark=Airplane-logo.png|marksize=18|label=Tafelberg}}
  {{Location map~|Suriname|lat_deg=3|lat_min=22|lat_sec=0|lat_dir=N|lon_deg=57|lon_min=20|lon_sec=0|lon_dir=W| position=bottom|mark=Airplane-logo.png|marksize=18|label=Coeroenie|background=white}}
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'''Operation Grasshopper''' was a project to look for natural resources in [Suriname](/source/Suriname) from the air. For this project, seven [airstrip](/source/airstrip)s 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](/source/Frank_Essed). In order to speed up the process of mapping the natural resources of the country&mdash;under the method used at the time it would at least take another few decades before the whole country was mapped&mdash;the plan foresaw the exploration of the country by flying over it using planes with [magnetometer](/source/magnetometer)s and [scintillometer](/source/scintillometer)s 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mas.sr/en/Archief-Nieuws/Vogelvlucht-de-geschiedenis-van-West-Suriname |title=Maritieme Autoriteit Suriname - MAS - The history of West-Suriname in a nutshell |website=www.mas.sr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222141538/http://www.mas.sr/en/Archief-Nieuws/Vogelvlucht-de-geschiedenis-van-West-Suriname |archive-date=2014-02-22}} </ref>

During the construction of an airport near [Paloemeu](/source/Paloemeu), a plane carrying building material crashed nearby. The pilot and co-pilot, [Vincent Fajks](/source/Vincent_Fajks) and [Ronald Kappel](/source/Ronald_Kappel) died in the crash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=163559|title=Accident Aero Commander 520 PZ-TAG, 06 Oct 1959}}</ref> The airport was subsequently [named after Fajks](/source/Vincent_Fayks_Airport). The airstrip at [Tafelberg](/source/Tafelberg_Airstrip) was named after Mr. Kappel.

One result of Operation Grasshopper was the discovery of [bauxite](/source/bauxite) in the [Bakhuis Mountains](/source/Bakhuis_Mountains). This led to the drafting of the [West Suriname Plan](/source/West_Suriname_Plan).

==Airports constructed during Operation Grasshopper==
*[Kabalebo Airstrip](/source/Kabalebo_Airstrip)
*[Coeroeni Airstrip](/source/Coeroeni_Airstrip)
*[Kayser Airstrip](/source/Kayser_Airstrip)
*[Oelemari Airstrip](/source/Oelemari_Airport)
*[Sipaliwini Airstrip](/source/Sipaliwini_Airstrip)
*[Tafelberg Airstrip](/source/Tafelberg_Airstrip)
*[Vincent Fayks Airport](/source/Vincent_Fayks_Airport)

==References==
<references />

* Bruijning, C.F.A. en J. Voorhoeve (red.): ''Encyclopedie van Suriname'', Amsterdam en Brussel 1977, Uitgeversmaatschappij Argus Elsevier, pp.&nbsp;227–229.

Category:20th century in Suriname
Category:Economic history of Suriname

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Operation Grasshopper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Grasshopper) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Grasshopper?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.