13 comments so far.A Gozo airstrip without disruption to the environment – Roy Perry
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Readers Letter – "I would like to make possibly my last comment about posts and messages on the subject of an airstrip in Gozo.
It is totally incorrect to say that the GTA and GBC approached 'a blind person' to help them. I am registered as partially sighted and am still computer literate at the age of 81. It was me who, in 1994, approached the Minister for Gozo, Dr Anton Tabone, with the idea, based on my experience of island transport links in many parts of the world.
In 1943 two emergency runways were laid to assist in the transfer of aircraft from Africa to Sicily. One of these running south-east from Ta' Lambert, remains out of use and unused for agriculture. It remains in Government ownership to this day.
March 1968 saw the purchase of three aircraft to operate an inter-island air service. The idea sank without trace due to a change of administration. Finally a small helipad was built, later expanded to a fully-functioning heliport. This fell out of use after Malta joined the EU when aircraft operations became more regulated.
My research showed that there were aviation-based reasons for a field.
1. Inter-island transport. There were many times when Gozo residents needed to get to Malta Airport much more quickly than by ferry and road.
2. Flying-training and private aircraft owners in or visiting the Maltese Islands urgently needed a second destination in the country or one which was away from a large international airport such as that at Luqa/ Gudja.
I tried to keep up the pressure during the 15 years that I lived in Gozo. Aware that a small English airline had expressed an interest, I contacted the business and tourism associations and, in 2008, made a presentation to them. Dr Tabone was present at this meeting.
I have spent 12 years surveying all aircraft resources concerning the usefulness of a field from which to operate small passenger aircraft and to provide facilities for general aviation. With the help of associates I prepared a very detailed feasibility study which I presented to Government Ministers and officials in 2009/10.
There seems to be no reason why an airstrip cannot be built on land which has been in Government ownership since the strips laid down in 1943 fell out of use. Most structural development plans in the past three decades have allowed for it. At a meeting in Gozo in February 2014 with Hon Minister and his staff I was assured that the idea would be pursued.
Perhaps the reason that my hard work has not been recognised and the project has stalled is that I am not Maltese.
However, there is a man who is just as keen on the idea- he is Maltese, so let's have your opinion, George E. Kissaun. (Author of My Life in Aviation – Malta -Gozo Airlink)
Copies of the feasibility plan may be viewed at http://gozoairlink.blogspot.co.uk/
Finally I wish to point out that I share Mr Kissaun's comments about the protection of the environment. I must emphasise that a small airfield in the island will bring massive benefits for local flying training and visiting private aircraft owners.
There is a field in Sicily that proudly proclaims that it is the most southerly 'Air-Park' in Europe- Gozo could take over this claim without any disruption of the wonderful landscapes and environment – plus providing a much sought-after destination for well-heeled aircraft owners.
The facility could NOT be used by low-cost airlines, pure-jet aircraft and would only operate during daylight hours. It's appearance would substantially enhance the appearance of the area, much of which appears tired and semi-derelict."
Roy S. Perry,
Isle of Wight,
UK.
Well, well Roy is back, and is still harping on about the same stupid idea of an airfield on Gozo. He comes up with all sorts of reasons why he thinks we should have an airfield on this little island but the one thing he doesn’t explain is how it is going to be paid for because it certainly can’t pay for itself. Roy just doesn’t seem to get the point that in order for an airfield to work on Gozo it would have to be financially sustainable and for that to happen the number of tourists willing to use it would need to explode to the extent that the island would sink, or the fee charged to use it would be costing the tourist more than they paid to get to Malta in the first place.
He also fails to understand that the sort of light aircraft needed to operate between the islands are not designed to carry luggage which is hardly going to be much use to tourists hoping to go to Gozo for a few weeks. He also can’t seem to get it through his skull that the reason tourists come to Gozo is because they enjoy the peace and quiet. The last thing they want is to be stuck on a tiny island with planes taking off and landing all day which is exactly what would happen once the big boys with their big toys found out there was a new place to play.
Having said all that I will be the first to admit that I’m no expert in the aviation field so I’d like to finish by quoting the words of someone who is and has wrote at length on this subject, Charles J. Buttigieg who wrote the following some years ago and I’m sure he won’t mind me quoting him. He said; During my tenure of office as Manager Special Projects at Air Malta and as General Manager Malta Air Charter we made more than one survey and feasibility study and they always showed clearly that an aerial operation to Gozo can’t be financially viable unless the number of tourists to Gozo multiply to such a phenomenal number which could not be seen possible. This applies to a helicopter operation as well as to fixed wings. I was also consulted by a number of international operators that had shown an interest in the service and they all concluded that an air-link between the two islands would be a financial suicide. Based on 40 years experience in Aviation, Marketing, Tourism and the Airline Business my advice has always been and still is to forget this silly notion and concentrate on a good shuttle service between MIA and Cirkewwa.
Mt Tyrrell I hope that Mr Perry will read your reply which is spot on . Can`t understand why he is so obsessed with this stupid idea whic we gozitan don`t want
I was hoping to have a response from someone in Malta who has a knowledge of aviation.
All powered passenger aircraft have stowage for luggage.
That’s why I quoted Charles J. Buttigieg. He’s from Malta and has more experience than you in aviation. He’s a man who has looked at the big picture and realised that it would never work. The only people you ever get supporting your idea who have knowledge of aviation are the people with little planes, usually developers who don’t mind where they destroy so long as it pays for their toys. These people are only interested in a place to land their planes but have no ideas about how an airport transfer service would be funded. It would never work unless the Government paid for it and they sure as hell are not going to throw money down that deep hole.
One has to laugh, one day somebody will see sense, well done Roy Gozo does need an alternative to the Ferry and light aircraft seems the best alternative.
It will need to be someone with a very deep pocket. Perhaps all the people on Gozo who say that it would be the best alternative will club together and keep it going.
I think its about time the stop sign and speed limit were done on the roads onthe ground in gozo as these once has washed away so please refresh them asap
To say an air strip without implications on the island of Gozo is pure crazy. Noise pollution is just one factor.
Roy no longer lives on Gozo so he doesn’t care about noise polution or the destruction of land.
Dare to dream?
Thare are many countries in the world that look at opportunities and dream. Very few go ahead and execute, if fact many identify many reason to say NO. Some are brave enough to look at both sides of the opportunity and if the economics are right they will say yes. As a former resident of Dubai there are multiple decisions that have been made that the man on street will have judged as crazy or stupid and yet the brave and not always right decisions have transformed Dubai. Don’t get me wrong, I am not in any way trying to compare the beautiful island of Gozo with Dubai as Gozo will always be number one. If there is a person or a company that wishes to develop an airfield shouldn’t we embrace the positivity and support the idea?
There isn’t because they all know it would be a money hole. This is what people like Roy don’t understand. It’s all right calling for an airstrip on Gozo but they are not the ones who would have to pay for it.
AIRSTRIP ON GOZO?
ADVANTAGES
1. Fast transport between islands and internationally
2. Alternative airport in Maltese Islands.
3. Training venue for pilots, navigators, other aircrew
4. Air-Sea Search and Rescue operations.
5. Armed Forces Air Base.
6. Establishing Gozo as a direct tourist destination.
7. Providing facility for privately-owned aircraft.
8. Attraction of quality tourists.
9. Provision of air-travel-related employment in Gozo.
10. Venue for International Air Rallies and Shows.
DISADVANTAGES
1. Destruction of valuable agricultural land.
2. Occupation of large proportion of land in small
island.
3. Confiscation of land from farmers who depend on it
for their livelihood.
4. Destruction of echology and scenic beauty in a large
area.
5. Deleterious environmental impact due to above and
due to necessary building of support structures,
e.g. an additional airstrip, an apron for aircraft
parking, fuel stores, repair and maintenance
hangar(s), cargo stores, customs offices, passenger
lounges, police and security stations, restaurant,
shops, car park, etc., which will be inevitable
sooner or later. The “airstrip” will, of necessity,
become an airport covering and de-naturing a much
larger tract of land than suggested by the word
“strip”, used purposely to deceive the inadvertent.
6. Air pollution with fuel and exhaust fumes which will
be noticeable all over this small island.
7. Noise pollution which destroys the traditional peace
and quiet of Gozo.
8. Attraction of the “undesireable rich” e.g. gamblers,
mafiosi and drug smugglers.
9. Would change Gozo from a unique, beautiful, quiet
restful holiday venue to a modern, noisy, dirty,
unremarkable den of iniquity.
10. Eventually, the airstrip would become non-productive
in terms of economic development as its tourist
promotional value will be capricious, erratic and
unsustainable.
11. Search and Rescue operations are not frequent enough
to justify the recurrent expense of keeping teams in
readiness indefinitely. Moreover, once the search
is successful, the rescue would depend entirely on
helicopters and boats, not fixed-wing aircraft!
12. As an emergency alternative airport, the call for
this is likely to be “nil” in view of the size of
Luqa Airport. This argument applies also in case of
a most-unlikely hi-jacking or “coupe d’etat”. For
this purpose, a strip at Ta’Qali would do just as
well.
13. Fast transport between the two Islands is already
available by means of helicopters.
14. The present infra-structure of Gozo will be unable
to cope with serious air-traffic accidents unless
expensive fire-fighting equipment and well-trained
teams are kept in constant readiness, and unless the
Gozo Hospital is sufficiently enlarged and equipped.
15. The capital cost of building and the recurrent cost
of maintaining an airport in Gozo will be
unjustified in view of the very dubious benefits
claimed in its favour. Who is going to pay and keep
paying for this expensive nonsense?
16. The project would favour the few at the expense of
all! Once perpetrated, the damage done to Gozo
would be permanent, the burden for the tax-payer
would be heavy and the hurt done to the Gozitans
irremediable.
I wrote this in May 1995. I believe the comments are still valid.
The comments certainly are still valid John but I would move a few of the things you list as advantages to the disavantages section.
‘Training venue for pilots, navigators, other aircrew,’ Definately a disavantage.
‘Armed forces airbase.’ I don’t think so some how!
‘ Establishing Gozo as a direct tourist destination.’ With a ‘strip!’
‘ Providing facility for privately-owned aircraft.’ Would turn Gozo from a nice quiet holiday island into a noisey little play area.
I’ll stop there John because as far as I can see all the advantages are disavantages!