General Aviation Commencement ceremony at Pahi Megara airport (LGMG), the new G.A. Airport of Athens
AOPA Hellas is pleased to announce that on Thursday May 19th there will be a General Aviation operations Commencement ceremony at Pahi Megara airport, Athens, Greece, organized by AOPA Hellas, in the presence of Transport and Defence Ministers as well as the Governor of Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA).
Since the first week of April 2005, when a ministerial level meeting was held with the aim of transferring Athens General Aviation activities to Pahi Megara military airport, AOPA Hellas had intensive communication with HCAA on this matter. The aim was the direct cooperation with the supply of information towards HCAA from the “user of the infrastructure” point of view. HCAA responded and with our representative AOPA Hellas was present in meetings with the armed services as well as in HCAA’s internal work meetings. The outcome of these was a 4 page report from AOPA Hellas to HCAA pointing out all the key issues which concerned the permanent transfer of General Aviation in Pahi Megara airport.
This cooperation produced had a good outcome and today we are pleased to announce that HCAA has commissioned us to organize the General Aviation Opening ceremony too, at Pahi Megara airport. An International Fly in Megara of AOPA Hellas will take place in June at Pahi Megara Airport (the exactly date of the first day of airport operation in June, will be announced on 19th of May). Fly in Megara, will probably join the Fly in 24-27 of June Lesvos island. Stay Informed by daily visiting the web page of AOPA Hellas at www.aopa.gr
For the record we owe to report that on November 2004, during the IAOPA European Conference in Athens, President Phil Boyer, referred to the great problem of the absence of G.A. airport within Attica prefecture. Following this the Minister of Defence committed to focus on the efforts to transfer all Athens G.A. activity to Pahi Megara airport. Also then, the Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Nerantzis in his conference speech he committed to the same aim. Eventually on April 2005 in a meeting between the Transport Minister Mr. Liapis and Defence Minister Mr. Spiliotopoulos an order was issued towards the HCAA and the Army Aviation (operator of Megara base) to transfer the General Aviaton to Megara until June 2005.
On behalf of the members of AOPA Hellas, I would like to thanks personally Phil Boyer and IAOPA countries who with their support the last months, Athens has finally the first GA Airport, and be possible to welcome the European pilots.
Best Regards
Yiouli Kalafati - President, AOPA HELLAS