Nothing ruled out for Gozo airlink
The government was not excluding any possibility with regard to the development of an economically-feasible airlink between Malta and Gozo, even if it meant extending the helipad to allow fixed-wing aircraft to land and take off.
Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism Mario de Marco was answering a supplementary question by Joe Mizzi (PL).
The original question, by Gozitan MP Anton Refalo (PL), enquired what plans the government had regarding an air service between Malta International Airport and Gozo. The Prime Minister replied in writing that any European aviation operator could operate a helicopter service between the two islands. Besides, the government was keeping all options open for an economically-feasible operation that might be proposed from time to time.
The operative word was sustainability, Dr De Marco stressed repeatedly.
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Victor G.Mercieca
Jan 16th 2009, 23:03
Well its productive that Tourism head is finally discovering the great potential of a General Aviation fixed wing industry it can be between THE islands providing rapid ALTERNATIVE commuting at a competive cost, connecting directly to airline schedules & automatically puts Gozo on the Aviation map as niche destination island for up market travelers TOO! Half the project is in place, all it needs is a basic AIRSTRIP approx 850m long x 15m width next to the existing dirt road leading to new WSC plant on Ras il-Hobz......It wantn't work if the facilities are tailored & used exclusively for one operator....extension of existing helipad only increases to about 450m, it doesn't really make technical sense. AGAIN, GOZO IS STILL MISSING OUT ON THIS VITAL FACILITY ESSENTIAL FOR THE QUALITY OF TOURISM & THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OVER THERE!
J. Borg
Jan 16th 2009, 20:12
Great......
This must be part of the ghost ECO-ISLAND that Gonzi/GiovannaPN pledged that they turn Gozo in!
lesley kreupl
Jan 16th 2009, 20:09
I don't where you live Mr. Perry, but quite honestly the last thing that Gozo needs is an airport. The AFM helicopters are more than sufficient if there is a medical emergency, for example, and if you really need to get to the airport in a hurry then I assume one can charter a helicopter. However, if one planned in advance then this would not be necessary. Why should the inhabitants of Gozo and Malta subsidize an air link for tourists and business people? And why should the inhabitants of Gozo have to put up with nosy, noisy sight-seeing trips swooping down over their property and disturbing the peace and infringing on their privacy? Why should they be harassed by sports planes practising manoeuvres and polluting the island? The float plane is bad enough and I won't even go into the environmental impact !
If you can't live without an airport, go and live in Malta, JFK, Frankfurt or Heathrow!
lgalea
Jan 16th 2009, 19:23
Roy Perry
This is good news only for environmental rapists and those who are so snobby that travelling with other common people on the ferry is not good enough for them.
May you never see your dream come true Perry, because it will only mean that the environment rapists have been allowed to continue to rape Gozo and cotinued to destroy Roman archeological remains on Gozo.
Shame and shame again on those who want the rape of Gozo and its environment.
Charles Sammut
Jan 16th 2009, 19:20
Arabs say "Inshallah bukra" and government says "not excluding any possibility"
In Maltese it translated as "nini nini."
Roy Perry
Jan 16th 2009, 16:25
I thought this was a forum for serious discussion.
Mike O'Hara
Jan 16th 2009, 15:35
Paul
only once, I suspect.
Alex P Galea
Jan 16th 2009, 14:04
@ Paul Barrett
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you were aware that no lives were lost in the Hudson yesterday; otherwise it would have been a very sick joke. As it is, that was very funny (though probably lost on most).
Paul Barrett
Jan 16th 2009, 13:10
How about using an A320 airbus - fixed wing and works without a landing strip.
Phil Press
Jan 16th 2009, 12:12
@ Roy, good news for who ??.
Roy Perry
Jan 16th 2009, 10:51
Well now, this IS good news. For the Parliamentry Secretary for Tourism to make a statement like this. Is THE GOVERNMENT really serious about starting discussions again?Discussions that have been going on since 2006 when we were told that an ad-hoc committee in the GozoMinistry had been set upto study the idea, that a small airline had showed willingness tooperate a service and that MEPA was to conduct a study?
The words ' extend the existing heliport' worry me because any lengthening of the 147 metre helipad can only be towards Xewkija with a limit of an extra 450metres. This would cut across agriculturalland and would bring the aircraft approachpath near to housing. It would alsoNOT allow more than one aircraft at a time to use the runway as the strip would also be used to board and unload passengers.
Much better- and safer - in my view, is to build a new runway tothe South East, further away fromhabitation and in a safer place, connected to the existing helipad by a taxiway.
o to http://gozoairlink.blogspot.com for details.
lgalea
Jan 16th 2009, 10:42
Environmental rapists keep your dirty hands off Gozo.