Microlight aircraft make first landings on Gozo airstrip

Stephania Vella

Jun 30th 2008, 18:42

It is not the critic who counts

It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again;
because there is not effort without error and shortcomings;
but who does actually strive to do the deed;
who knows the great enthusiasm,
the great devotion,
who spends himself in a worthy cause,
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement
and who at the worst, if he fails,
at least he fails while daring greatly.

So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat.

--Theodore Roosevelt,
"Man in the Arena" Speech
(April 23, 1910)

John B. Vincenti

Jun 27th 2008, 13:31

Thank you Luke,

Just for the record, been there, done that, and got the "T"-SHirt to prove it. Notwithstanding this, all those concerned in the recent events are commended for their efforts and persistance to arrive where they have today.
Lastly, let us never forget those who were the pioneers in Malta for this Sport and paved the way for those who followed:

Mr. Tua (RIP) -Raven Hornet Weight Shift ( Amphibian) & Power Chute
Henry Rota - Power Chute, followed by Weight Shift 9H-UMB ( FIB)
Mario Pandolfino - Home made Power Chute (no registration)
Enrico Casolari - Weight Shift (no registration)
John B.Vincenti - Weight Shift 9H-UMA

Just for the record, unless proven to the contrary, I would like to boast a few Maltese Microlight firsts:
1. First to fly around Filfla
2. First to Fly around Gozo and Back to Malta
3. First to Fly from Ta Qali to Luqa Airport
4. First to Fly around Malta
5. First to fly to 5600 feet (Do I still hold this local altitude record?)
6. The only Micro Light Pilot to have a Mid-Air Collision with a Chipmunk Biplane and live to tell the story (lol)

Blue Skys everyone

Luke John Vincenti

Jun 27th 2008, 03:13

Actually it's not historic. The helipad was already used as a landing & take-off strip my father, John Vincenti in the very same 9H-UMA back in July 2000 during atsmopheric ozone tests. Before that several other landings and take-offs were performed at the 'Tal-Jordan' race course. These are also not including the sea-borne ones done on a regular basis by Henry Rota in his Flying Finghy Microlight whereas not technically performed on Gozo land was still stationed there. Sorry to burst anyone's bubbles.

Andrew Cilia

Jun 26th 2008, 18:25

Great going guys. I was proud to be one of the onlookers there yesterday and I appreciate the amount of work involved here. This was no meadow landing in the Yorkshire Dales. The airspace in Malta is totally controlled by the Department of Civil Aviation making this event tantamount to getting permission to land within the perimeter of some international airport.

A toast to Alex Dalli and Mark Said for their efforts and also for those members that are out the limelight such as Adrian Pace and Justin Farrugia for keeping up the pressure when the rest of us threw in the towel. Expect beers from me (much more from your skeptics!) in the not too distant future.

Never say Never.

Charles DeMicoli

Jun 26th 2008, 17:53

"Historic flight", "realising a dream", "firetrucks standing by...." aren't we talking about microlights here?!?

Charles J Buttigieg.

Jun 26th 2008, 17:43

What is all the fuss about? Helloooo this was a non event event. What’s the big deal?
As to commercial flying to and from Gozo......forget it ,it had been tried and tested and didn’t work. There simply isn’t enough traffic to make it financially viable and a government subsidy would not be justified.
The Heliport ought to be converted into something useful forthwith and the government should declare its position now. Stop kidding yourselves.

Former General Manager
Malta Aircharter

Major Alexander Dalli

Jun 26th 2008, 17:00

I was one of the Pilots that flew one of the fixed wing microlights into the Gozo Heliport yesterday. I thank my general aviation pilot collegues for their comments. I, too like them besides flying paper planes, fly slightly bigger and medium sized birds too. this I do with great joy and pride as a profession. Sometimes we ask too much from our authorities and we understand that some actions require a long taught process and a sum of money before execution. We hereby thank the all the authorities concerned for granting us a chance to show the safe operations of microlights. Yesterday might have been a normal day in the rest of the world but for Malta and Gozo it was historical. I would like to add that to me it was one of the most splendid days in my flying career.

Lawrence Magrin

Jun 26th 2008, 16:20

I cannot agree more with Victor G Mercieca. Again whats the big deal about.

To start with, people seriously involved in local aviation would like to see single engined aircraft like Cessnas, Pipers, Rallye just to mention a few, make use of this airstrip.

If anything in case of emergencies, Nothing against microlights, but these 'paper planes' cannot transport sick people from one island to the other.

Again the pilot of light aircraft might find himself with engine problems when flying over or near Gozo, and it would make more sense to access a decent airfield overthere than trying to risk his way to the Malta airfields or making a forced landing in some farmer's field.

K Chapman

Jun 26th 2008, 13:13

A first step in making the Gozo airstrip viable and profitable for the Gozo population. Let's hope the competent authorities will take this further with the aim of providing a fixed wing service to the island as is the case of thousands of other smaller islands around the world.

Victor G.Mercieca

Jun 26th 2008, 11:25

Its good that DCA finally took the time to take the first step in the right direction, in getting the 'long derelict Gozo Heliport' short airstrip approved for very light aircraft yesterday, however this is just one expect of use, the potential is far more vital in by basically having an adjacent longer airstrip in place along the existing dirt road, to fully take advantage of General Aviation MULTITUDE of spinoffs that will for a fact facilate rapid mobillity between the islands, avoiding the now congested roads to MIA or elsewhere. General Aviation has been often overlooked as a required local economy particular for airlinking small islands to rest of the world.

M.Degiorgio

Jun 26th 2008, 11:13

What's the big deal about? These light aircraft are very common all over Europe and can land virtually anywhere, even fields...