Microlight plane crash lands in Qrendi

James Nicholl

Nov 24th 2009, 14:35

How about 're-opening' LMMG - Gozo Heliport, & Authorities approve this Heliport + Airstrip for ULM's....... (& some years back a 'trial flight' was staged here, with the approval & supervision of DCA too....) All the equipment 'was' there...it would be beneficial for all concerned to fly here LMMG - Gozo Heliport, than being hindered by IFR departures & arrivals @ LMML - Luqa, which of course have a priority over VFR's which include ULM's.... Unfortunately in Malta, it is true that General Aviation lacks support from Authorities......

John B.Vincenti

Nov 24th 2009, 13:48

@ a.attard
What I find entertaining about "freedom of speech" is that it allows fools the freedom to expose themselves.
What is more dangerous than this "So called Sport" is the ignorance than some seem to cherish. Time and time again, the narrow mind and loose tongue have proved to be the cause of so much woes in this world.
In it's self, manipulation is a virtue whilst idle and ignorant talk is the domain of un-educated housewives.
People will fly because they choose to. You have the right to choose otherwise. If the extent of you heroics or fears doesn't get you passed carrying a cage with a bird in it, so be it.
Life and let live ;-)

francesca vincenti

Nov 24th 2009, 10:18

@a. attard
the probability of being hit by the faeces of an overhead pigeon in Valletta is greater than having a microlight knock you on the head. You're better off suggesting that all cars be banned from the roads, after all, consider the number of drivers that mysteriously ''lose control'' & crash into anything infront of them, be it lamp-posts, houses, center strips, another vehicle or God forbid a person on the sidewalk.

chris poulton

Nov 24th 2009, 08:40

Can we please stop using the term 'crash' in these instances. This (like the previous incident involving another microlight) was not a 'crash' landing at all. It was a 'forced' landing. A forced landing is one where the pilot has no option but to land the aircraft, like in this instance when the engine quit. The damage caused to the aircraft was no fault of the pilot or the circumstances, and was caused solely due to the landing area's features i.e. a tree and soft soil. Had the tree not been there, and the ground a bit harder, there would, in all probability, have been absolutely no damage sustained by the aircraft. Pilot is to be commended for his expertise.
If we stop using the word 'crash', except where it is appropriate, we will stop worrying the public.

Anthony White

Nov 24th 2009, 08:29

I have read the comments with interest and a disgust at the attitude of some - I.e. Stop this- Ban that Don't do this Don't do that or the other.
I thought that the majority of Maltese wanted the EU to control the position here in Malta - WE ARE NOW EUROPEAN, (or so the bluff is impressed on us everyday)
Therefore what the hell are these control fanatics (the GODS I mentioned earlier) interfering with progress for. We need common sense and the experience of International Standards to move forward.
Okay, lets look into the logic of the Gods attitude - Lets imagine the world if progress listens to these fanatics - You cannot do anything - except to BITCH about what Tom Dick and Harriet are doing.
If you are not happy with progress - there are several alternatives for these people - Stop the world and let them get off - commit Hari Kari or shut up and stop bitching.

P.Sant Manduca

Nov 24th 2009, 07:11

Anyone interesting in the air traffic accidents can view this site and at the bottom can view the world air traffic investigation reports, including Malta, very interesting site to visit, than after can decide by yourself that Malta is in the bottom of the accidents lists, if someone is afraid from the air traffic, than he should began from the big one's, like the airbus, than complete with the light one's finish with the microlights..................................I can't understand people here in Malta, why try to stop the progress, what exactly do you want.........? unemployed people or progress to make your life more comfortable....................the minister of transport is working to make the aviation more huge to create more employment, and I am sure that he is not going to ban the light or microlight aircrafts, can you tell me how pilots are going to began without this sectors. Let's be human and Christians and support this people, even when something went wrong. site to visit: http://www.aviacamsport.com

Pule' carmel

Nov 24th 2009, 00:47

This is an interesting Video of a microlight aircraft which had an added safety parachute that went unfortunately wrong.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1558257/parachute_crashes_a_microlight_plane/

Rod Abela

Nov 23rd 2009, 22:34

@ E Muscat
I suggest you come and visit us to learn more about our sport - passion and discipline. The idea of converting part of the old Qrendi airfield with a 400 mt runway strip was floated to the competent authorities at least five years ago. If you go back eighteen months (April 2008) you will come across in the Sunday Times one of my articles proposing this project. Do not ask the DCA to take note... they simply do not care! For them it will be an added responsibility they would gladly do without. Some months ago during discussion with DCA, one officer came up with all the possible excuses of conflicting circuits, entry and exits paths, reporting points, etc etc in an attempt to kill off the idea. Qrendi apart, Luqa is still well away from saturation point! This is Luqa Airport Malta not Changi International Singapore. We spend a lot of hours there and sometimes we look at each other and say "are we really at the airport?" Nonetheless as much as the rugby association deserves its own ground, we too would be prepared to move out if offered an alternative.

Simon Borg

Nov 23rd 2009, 22:03

@E Muscat.
With all due respect, we fly 1500ft above sea level (by law allowed up to 2500ft) wich is way more than the distance from fireworks factories to nearby residential areas. Are you also including possible illegal factories and storage facilities (like we had at Naxxar) spread around the Island as well? Yes the DCA and the police should take note, if anything of the frequent illegal and unannounced fireworks and pyrotechnics let off around the airport, shooting up to 1000 ft which we have to face from time to time. Adding insult to injury when reported no action is taken. Last summer I had at least two incidences when on finals coming in to land with pyrotechnics exploding less than 100 meters away completely unannounced and illegal. So kindly do get your act together and house in order, Mr E Muscat before suggesting the unsuggestable.

Guy Gerada

Nov 23rd 2009, 21:47

My name is Guy Gerada, I worked for 48 years in the aviation field as a qualified Engineer, I worked in UK, USA and Australia, worked on many types of aircrafts, microlights or ultralights, light aircrafts and heavy aircrafts, all machines are built under licence and regulations for the safety of the pilots, passengers and the general public, accidents happen every day to all type of aircrafts, I can't even imagine an airbus stalling on the take off from runway 31 or stalling during the landing of 13, it's useless throwing words to this brave aviators, I saw them every day working and watching there aircrafts like there babies, they service them by hours not months or years, it's not fair to throw words to this intelligent, well educated people, they are building alone from there pockets what other nations build with the help of there governments, they pump money in the aviation pipeline to make there dreams come real, now I am old but this pilots give me hope to live more and more......................my advise is don't stop digging, get together and join AOPA ALL OF YOU, the time has come to show that you are brave. Well done.

Rod Abela

Nov 23rd 2009, 21:38

@ E Muscat

To clarify further - microlights are restricted to fly 1500ft or below over Malta (2000ft over Gozo). This means that regulations are restricting microlights to fly at less than 700ft AGL in areas such as Dingli, Rabat etc. This limit is decisively low because it confers to the pilot of an aircraft less than 2 minutes to execute a forced landing. This limit needs to be revised up and there is no reason why not because all Malta registered microlights are equipped with on board radio and transponder. The higher you are the longer the glide.

If the authorities were to implement your recommendation of allowing a one square mile 'no go' zone around firework factories and assuming no territorial overlap, there would be something like 35 square miles of 'no go' zones on an island of 95 square miles!

Finally the area at Qrendi where yesterday's landing took place lies exactly on the climb out of runway 23 so it is impossible to make it a 'no go' zone without closing off runways 05/23.

E Muscat

Nov 23rd 2009, 21:31

I think that this type of flying with microlights needs more attention especially here in Malta where their is many buildings and cultivated fields among other things.Malta is too small for this type of flying but this is a hobby and someone cannot be deprieved to practice this type of hobby.Luqa airport is continually increase in traffic with more developments coming on the way and one should consider now finding another place for this type of flying such at Ta Qali which propably is to late now or finding another near Hal Far or San Niklaw near Qrendi were next year the authorities are going to build 12 cattle farms instead keeping the place intact for a future small airport which can be used by microlights or small planes.Once again DCA take note.

Rod Abela

Nov 23rd 2009, 21:27

@ E Muscat
To clarify on your point:- microlight aircraft fly VFR - the same set of rules that regulate general aviation aircraft. This includes a restriction to exclude flying over INHABITED areas. As far as I know, although not all fireworks factories are located more than 183 mts from INHABITED areas, such fireworks factories are not considered built in inhabited areas. So contrary to your belief and by definition a microlight aircraft flying at 1,000ft 'over' a fireworks factory is not in breach of the ANO or any other regulation. I say 'over' because for a ground observer it is very very difficult to 'over' which path an aircraft flying at 1,000 ft is actually passing. So you could easily perceive an aircraft is flying 'over' a built up area when it actually is not. I assure you that it is no coincidence that the four microlight forced landings (in nine years) happened over the countryside well clear of inhabited zones or other sensitive areas. They all landed in the country side because microlights avoid flying over inhabited areas. Unfortunately current regulations preclude us from flying at higher altitudes.

Mark Scerri

Nov 23rd 2009, 20:36

@A.Attard You said ''These kind of aircraft should be TOTALLY BANNED from our islands. Quite a lot of accidents are happening because some crazy like to see the landscape from above.'' So in your opinion is it can be a nicer hobby to see a mass of buildings and traffic jams from the streets than viewing the Maltese landsape from the skies ? Should we ban diving and swimming because fatalities happen? Should we ban driving and car imports because of motoring accidents? .......and the list goes on. Maltese pilots both full time and those who practice flying as a hobby take flying seriously with all safety measures. How do you dare to all these persons ''crazy''?

E Muscat

Nov 23rd 2009, 19:58

@Rod Abela What I am saying avoid microlight flying from this area and I am saying this because this summer I saw microlights litteraly flying over one of this fireworks factories at 1000 ft .This is true.This is illegal and against the law of flying this microlights like this.I suggest the DCA to make new regulations about microlights to avoid such danger places and make a one square mile on these fireworks factories as an outside flying zone.Once again DCA take a note.

Mike Camilleri

Nov 23rd 2009, 19:50

First I wish to say well done to both pilots, we all know that one day might happen and you made it safely to the ground. Looking to other European countries near us are moving very fast in aviation because they see future in this sector, and here in Malta some people are still living in the past and are afraid of the progress, stopping microlights it's like you are stopping the primary and secondary schools. We need to improve the microlights sports, improve the microlight building which many aviators dream to build, fly and enjoy there dreams. We build aircrafts and fly them with all the regulations from our expenses and we disserve to be respected and not insulting us, many people don't even know what aviation is for us, it's our life, our family and we can't live without the aviation........you need to be one of the aviators to speak about aircrafts, and how safe they are or not, something that one should need to know is that we are behind the European aviation market, we need to give courage to people that are in this sector to keep moving not encourage them. 9H-UMQ BELONGS IN THE SKY

Adrian Cardona

Nov 23rd 2009, 19:35

@J Galea Malta's terminal airspace is actually Class C. If it were class A there would not be any VFR flights permitted at all. Just to clarify.

Damian Agius

Nov 23rd 2009, 19:20

Dear Mr. Attard, if you could be bothered to think before you write you would realize that your argument makes as much sense as the premise that the Titanic was unsinkable. You said these aircraft should be banned but you failed to note that other forms of General Aviation Aircraft also have ONE engine; if it fails you have to crash land as well. A case in point is the European Flight Academy P92J that went down a while ago. No Disrespect to the European Flight Academy, like Mark they performed well under the pressures of loosing power. So now you might say "ban them all", ok fine, then may I ask you what would you do when you want to go abroad and there aren't any more pilots because you took away their training aircraft - are you going to swim? Also in the interest of public safety I suggest we ban particular car since one of them nearly hit me when its driver was drifting round a round-about. We should also ban fireworks and Minis, there is this particular one which is driven around my village like a crazed banshee. Your argument is as leaky as a sponge…

Rod Abela

Nov 23rd 2009, 18:49

@ E Muscat You do not need a microlight to blow up a fire works factory - they blow themselves up afghan style! Please do not exaggerate because you lose credibility the moment you open your mouth. For your information in almost ten years of microlight flying with thousands of hours notched up we are proud to state that not one single life was lost. Above all the handful of small accidents never caused any damage to third parties - except for the uprooted cabbage! On the contrary in the past ten years there have been at least 30 persons (5 at one go at b'kara) dying in fireworks accidents, causing the death of innocent third parties and hundred of thousand of euros in damages (have you forgotten the Naxxar accident already?). At least another ten died in scuba diving accidents. This week we almost had the fatality of a rock climber (another new sport in malta).

Mark Jr. Laferla

Nov 23rd 2009, 18:48

@ a attard You are pathetic. Your comments reveal that you have absolutely no knowledge of the general aviation sector in Malta. The pilots and aircraft operating on our island are amongst the most professional and highly maintained in Europe. Microlighting here in Malta (as well as all other aircraft) is very strictly regulated and is inspected on a regular basis, in order for them to be certified as airworthy. We adhere to very stringent regulations and have to deal with extremely bureaucratic and excessive red-tape just to get our aircraft in the air, so I take it as a personal offence that you would imply that we should be grounded. Do you have any hobbies at all?! How would you like it if I insisted that I would like to see "residents signing petitions to ban them immediately" against your hobby or sport?! Or is commenting vainly on TOM website your only past-time? Get a life.

Simon Borg

Nov 23rd 2009, 17:57

@a attard. Yes let’s start with a petition banning dangerous sport, starting from cars and motorbikes which leave dozens of victims (like my wife, hit and run last week) and damaged property on our Island each year. Then followed by speedboats, totally useless, make a hell of a racket and leave a couple of victims each summer in our shores as well. Obviously followed by scuba diving, a victim or two each summer, totally useless as they can watch the little sea creatures on Discovery sitting on their butts, like you, I suppose. Fishing must also be included as one or two end up missing each year and cost us thousands of Euros in search and rescue with rescuers risking life and limb. I almost forgot, since we still have some ink left lets ban hunting once and for all as they are filling our fields with lead and occasionally shoot themselves in the foot (if not one another), by mistake of course.

Brian Falzon

Nov 23rd 2009, 17:31

@ a.attard I suggest that you first try this " SO CALLED SPORTS " before you comment. If we ban these type of aircraft we should ban all aircraft from the Maltese skies as engine failure can happen to any aircraft, and belive me more damage will be done to both structures and human lifes. On the same lines we should ban diving as more deaths are registered with this sports. We trainee pilots are trained for every eventuality that can happen during a flight and I can assure everyone that maintanance by qualified staff is done on a regualr basis. On the other hand we are proud with our trainer and yesterday he showed his true value and his experiance in handling such situations. Well done Mark!

B. Stott

Nov 23rd 2009, 16:16

a. attard

Please, think before you type. The aircraft suffered mechanical failure. That kind of failure can happen to ANY aircraft - including the ones we fly in constantly to take us abroad!

Use your brain! Flying is always going to be a danger whether it is light aircrafts such as the Microlight or the heavy aircrafts such as the 777 - 300 or the A330 that Emirates fly in to Malta. Should we ban them as well because they pose a small threat to this island?!

I rest my case.

a attard

Nov 23rd 2009, 14:07

@ vinzenzi

no i don't speak about other kinds of sport. i speak about THIS SO CALLED SPORT where you are constant harm to third parties and their properties. Please BAN THEM IMMEDIATELY. i suggest residents signing petitions to ban them immediately from our skies

John B.Vincenti

Nov 23rd 2009, 13:32

@ a. attard

Every type of sport imaginable has it's fair share of risk and accidents, you could even poke yourself in the eye whilst doing the crosswords. Do you suggest that all sports that involve some sort of risk be banned, just because you have some fear about it?
Even collecting stamps will end up killing you from lack of excercise.

If you had a semblance of understanding in the workings of such Aircraft, you would realise that their very design makes them safer over Maltese Skies than most other forms. Their ability to stall at very slow airspeeds allows them to negotiate and land in our very restricted field sizes, as was so excellently demonstrated by Major Mark Said and others who have had the misfortune to do so.
Mr.attard ( without Capitals since you seem to prefer it that way), get on with your life and let others dare where you do not even dream.

Malcolm Mifsud

Nov 23rd 2009, 13:18

If I am not mistaken this is second time lucky for Mr Mark Said, the pilot.

J Galea

Nov 23rd 2009, 12:34

My impression of the DCA is that there are a small number of very conscientous and hardworking frontline individuals who are called upon to deal with the safety of big planes and small planes alike and in those sorts of situations priorities need to be set and an Airmalta airbus etc has to come first. Obviously, pleasure pilots are going to be upset waiting for months on end so the real problem is a resources problem if DCA want to keep microlights within its purview, which it may want to do with Malta's crowded Class A airspace. More resouces need to be given by the authorities to the frontline inspectors and a proper and independent directorate of airworthiness set up with its own authority to act. Many DCa officials receive flight training as part of their employment conditions (see govt gazette) but DCA needs to ensure these qualifications of their officials are revalidated every year as everybody knows a pilot's licence must be maintained. If the authorities want to increase the Maltese register they have to appoint more staff and give existing staff the necessary support not expect them to achieve heroics on a daily basis with no graditude.

a attard

Nov 23rd 2009, 11:22

These kind of aircraft should be TOTALLY BANNED from our islands. Quite a lot of accidents are happening because some crazy like to see the landscape from above. We don't need to loose any life before they are banned.

Anthony White

Nov 23rd 2009, 09:44

Can someone please inform me why, with EVERY sport we have to have a dictacting group of self appointed Gods to dictate who or why and what is permitted.

Look at most sports there is always GODS involved - even simply Shooting Sports there are Gods restricting the majority of the Sensible Controlled Clubs that are quite capaple to self control using the regulations of International Organisations.
Then to here that one of those GODS is using his position to make his own benifits to do as he wishes commercially- but insists that ALL other Clubs be restricted and controlled

John B.Vincenti

Nov 23rd 2009, 09:16

@Rod Abela and J.Galea.
The efficiency of the DCA, the local provisions or those of San Marino, plots etc, have absolutely nothing in common with the topic in hand.
Airworthyness is the primarily the responsibility of the Pilot. The approval of airworthyness is issued by the DCA, once they are satisfied that the necessary inspections and criteria are in order.
Yet, as we all know, despite all the precautions and checks, "Murphy's Law" will be set into motion. Proper training to cope with such eventualities is a constant requirement that all Pilots have to endure.
If there has been an increase in incidents, this is normal and natural. The higher Microlight population will also increase the probability factor. Regulating their use on their own or in Tandem with other aircraft will have no bearing on these probabilities.
Ok, I know what you are about and I sympathise with you. There is still alot to be done to appease everybody in the Maltese Aviation world . However using the blog here to raise awareness to your woes and frustration is silly.

Blue Skies to you.

John

John B.Vincenti

Nov 23rd 2009, 08:52

My sympathy and respect goes out to Major Mark Said.
Luck (good or bad) had nothing to do with it. As they say "S...T" happens and Mark used his experience and cool head to bring down the Microlight Safely.Unfortunately, the Wet and freshly ploughed field prevented what would have otherwise been a "Classic Emergency Landing".
Such fields are every pilots last nightmare as many pilots in the Uk and across europe will tell you. What should be noted is that many British and European pilots marvel at the Maltese pilots skill to put down their aircraft in such small fields.
Anyway, my heart goes out to Mark, since I can appreciate his dissappointment at re-designing 9H-UMQ. I had met him last August at the Mosta Feast and I could see his elation in the acquisition of MQ.
He may be down (pun) but he ain't out.

Blues skies,

Rgds,

John

Joe E Galea

Nov 23rd 2009, 08:32

@mike pace: It was a microlight plane not an Airbus A380 so don't exaggerate.

M.Gauci

Nov 22nd 2009, 22:52

First of all I would like to congratulate Major Said for such a textbook landing clearly demonstrating experience and skill. Prosit Mark

I totally agree with Rod Abela.

This sport is so common all around the World! Seems that Maltese authorities always seem to resists or delay such things. What a pity!

Simon Borg

Nov 22nd 2009, 22:15

Santa Maria or not, the co-pilot has two things to be thankful for. Firstly for the fact that he was flying in a safe and slow Microlight and not a heavier, faster aircraft and secondly to be flying with a very experienced and skilled pilot, Mark Said.
This incident also proves the point made by many in the field that the inspection by the Head of Airworthiness from DCA (unique for Malta only) and all its trappings and tribulations is not making this sport any safer. It is high time that the Ministry takes heed of the advice given by competent practitioners of this sport to upgrade and evolve its modus operandi in order to regulate it on the same guidelines as in the rest of Europe and not as it is at the moment, over regulated and on the brink of choking point with no real benefit to one and all.

E Muscat

Nov 22nd 2009, 21:02

The area which was flying the microlight is surrounded at least with three fireworks factories and the authorities must keep this area safe from flying this microlights on this particular area to avoid incidents like this because this is very dangerous if an aircraft come down in one of this factories.I am saying this because people I know talk about this especialy during summer where at one time every day one can see more than one microlight flying on this area.DCA take note.

Jesmond Micallef

Nov 22nd 2009, 19:42

Good to read that nobody was hurt. There are allways the hazards of potential, kinetic and chemical energies present on a flying aeroplane, wether micro, small or large.

Ian Chetcuti

Nov 22nd 2009, 19:06

@Mike Pace; I don't think the lives of the people of Qrendi were ever at risk, unless the microlight was carrying a Nuclear bomb. Micro.....means little!!

Rod Abela

Nov 22nd 2009, 17:43

cont...
How correct you are Mr Galea! Why does it have to take the owner of a microlight more than 10 months to have the plane inspected for the issue of the Permit to Fly?? Yes there are serious problems with the DCA. And this is easy to understand because I do not think that from all the persons currently serving the DCA any one of them is a current pilot and/or aircraft owner!
At the DCA there are persons plotting to stop Maltese microlights from flying overseas and the same people keep plotting to stop 'foreign' microlights from visiting Malta by imposing non-existent "ICAO" rules - shame!
How can we as a supposedly self-respecting EU country accept that a small non-EU country such as San Marino (where there is only one 500mt grass strip in a territory as big as Gozo) has a much longer microlight aircraft register (more than 100 compared to Malta's 26), has dedicated and refined microlight regulation??
My club has also had talks with Minister Gatt who was warm about our ideas, but when it came down to follow on presentations to his assistants we were simply met with sheer arrogance.

Rod Abela

Nov 22nd 2009, 17:25

First of all I am very happy that Major Said and his passenger escaped injury and once again Major Said proved his worth as one of the most experienced pilots in Malta. Bravu Mark.

Secondly, in his comments J.Galea hit the nail exactly on its head! The problems that the microlight fraternity are facing are precisely described in his comment - but on top of this we have an intransigent Department of Civil Aviation whose sole objective is now clear - ground all microlight activity in Malta.

My club - Aero Club Malta - has been pressing for the past 3 years the notion to shift the regulation of microlight aviation on to the Kunsill Malti Sports simply because the DCA does not have (1) the willingness to regulate but want simply to dictate and impose archiac and disproportionate rules (2) the resources (3) the expertise and (4) the motivation to promote this sports aviation segment. We have been begging the DCA to launch modern microlight rules that account for (1) aircraft licencing (2) aircraft airworthiness (3) pilot licencing (4) delegation of authority and (5) reciprocity and mutual recognition of EU equivalents.

J Galea

Nov 22nd 2009, 16:36

Thank God these two persons emerged unscathed. Microlights actually have a good record of safety but these incidents seem to be on the rise in Malta. Malta seems to regulate the use of these aircraft together with the regulation of large passenger aircraft, which does not seem to be the norm in most developed countries and probably for good enough reason. It is about time the authorities found more resources for the rapidly growing aviation sector and in particular to provide for their airworthiness by increasing the personnel in this sector and establishing a separate Directorate of airworthiness as exists in most European countries. Priorities need to be considered and the regulation of microlight aircraft hived off to a separate and dedicated authority so that the mainstream inspectorate can focus more on the large passenger jets whilst the small microlights etc. enjoy an equal attention to their needs.

Pule' Carmel

Nov 22nd 2009, 14:55

Pilots must be prepared for such engine failures. That type of aircraft has such a light wing loading that a good pilot can land it on a handcarechief. THese days you can also arrange for a parachute to open up where plane , pilots would together drop and touch the ground as in a normal parachute jump. On the latter, one must be careful for I saw one light aircraft accidentally open up the parachute just after take TAKE OFF and the chute acted as a brake and there was not enough altitude for the chute to suspend the plane and pilots as intended.

Mario Borg

Nov 22nd 2009, 14:18

@Maurice.

No offence but you contradict yourself. You first thank God then berate a fellow for attributing this to some kind of miracle. You must have subconciously thanked God, no worries.

Franco Farrugia

Nov 22nd 2009, 14:09

@ Maurice Aquilina - My sentiments exactly.

John Pisani

Nov 22nd 2009, 14:06

Sur Mike Pace.... Li kieku Alla hares qatt kien ajruplani kummercjali u ntfewlu l-magni, kieku kien jibqa' niezel u vera kienet issehh tragedja. Imma l-Microlight minghajr magni jigglajdja ghal distanza twila bizzejjed biex il-bdot isib post sigru fejn jinzel. Ovvja trid ukoll l-esperjenza u l-profssjonalità tal-bdot bhal ma kien f'dan il-kaz.
Naf x'qed nghid ghax jien tirt ukoll ma' dawn il-persuni fuq l-istess MIcrolight..... u nerga' mmur ukoll.
Proset Maggur.

Christopher Demicoli

Nov 22nd 2009, 13:11

@mike pace

I am sure that if the pilot landed safely, it was on his own merit. Surely "our Lady the Mother of God" did not steer his aircraft to a safe landing

Maurice Aquilina

Nov 22nd 2009, 11:57

Thank God no one was hurt and well done to the pilots who crash landed safely!

@mike pace - its true that such an incident could have led to more serious consequences but to say that 'the lives of all people of the village of Qrendi' were saved as if by some kind of miracle is a little bit too much.. 2012 must have impressed you! :)

bob mcclelland

Nov 22nd 2009, 11:46

When learning to fly, the first 3 lessons are;
1. Take-offs are optional!
2. Landings are compulsory!!
3. There may be OLD pilots and BOLD pilots, but there aren't any OLD BOLD pilots!!!
Bob McClelland (Pilot Instructor) Gold Coast AUSTRALIA

[Hi to Simone Pace and staff!]

students must realise

mike pace

Nov 22nd 2009, 11:11

We have to thanks our Lady the Mother of God that saves the lives of all people of the village of Qrendi and the courage and braveness of this pilot- God bless and Viva Santa Marija

Mark Busuttil

Nov 22nd 2009, 11:04

Thank goodness both pilots are unhurt. Even though engine failures are something us pilots train for, it's always a gamble in Malta with the fields being relatively small with rubble walls seperating one from another. Microlights' slow speed and weight gives them an advantage in this sense, in that you can perform an emergency landing almost anywhere.

Excellent piloting skills save the day again!

T Mifsud

Nov 22nd 2009, 10:24

Thank God no one was hurt. Well done for the pilots' professionalism in bringing a seriously dangerous situation to a safe outcome!