I read with satisfaction the success story of Mediterranean Aviation Company Ltd, better known as Medavia, as featured recently in The Times Business supplement.

Since being set up in 1979, this company has always had at its helm a strong but practical managerial team that maintained a healthy liaison with a loyal workforce. This state of affairs was the order of the day when, 24 years ago, I joined the ranks of Medavia as a junior co-pilot, where I spent my first four years. For me it was to be the start of an exciting career in aviation.

Although at that time the company was still small, it had two qualities which were to help it pave the way forward: a strong leadership and a clear sense of direction.

I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the predecessors of Abdul Razak Zmirli who today leads the company as its managing director. The contribution of past management personnel to the success of Medavia must not be overlooked.

I fondly remember A. Gumati, the managing director during my time with Medavia and Capt. David Koefman, chief flight operations and test pilot who sadly departed this life at his prime. These were two gentlemen whose role as leaders was exemplary because they used to lead by example.

I also bring to mind the (one and only) operations officer of the time, Adrian Spiteri, a talented person who worked relentlessly from the old Medavia offices in South Street, Valletta, to provide help to the expatriate flight crews who were stationed in Tripoli and other places in Libya. I will always remain indebted to him for the assistance which he provided to my family when I got caught in the US bombardment of Tripoli in 1986.

I must also mention the sterling work carried out by the small group of administrative office staff of the time in Valletta as well as the small group of ex-RAF Maltese technicians and expatriate engineers. They all worked as one team. As Mr Zmirli indicates, a few are still there today.

I have never met Mr Zmirli but from the article it appears that he is a man of vision, one who believes in the capabilities of his staff.

No wonder that his company has established the turnover that it has today. One must not underestimate the difficulties faced by Mr Zmirli in the running of Medavia during the time of the UN embargo on Libya. Well done, Medavia, and keep it up!