Aircraft owners and pilots association calls for former Athens international airport to be reopened for general aviation
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Greece (AOPA Hellas) is calling on the country's government to reopen a general aviation (GA) airport in Athens and expand general aviation access throughout the country.
AOPA Hellas president Yiouli Kalafati says the association's key concern is the lack of GA provision in Athens, home to more than half of the country's owner-flyers. "GA was left homeless following the closure of two perfectly good airports, to cater for sport facilities for this year's Olympic Games," she says.
Marathon airport, 42km (26 miles) from Athens, was shut to create a linear water park for Olympic rowing events, while the capital's former international airport, Hellinikon, was converted into Olympic venues and a tram system has been built across the end of one runway.
"There is still 1,600m [5,300ft] of runway untouched and unused at Hellinikon - perfect for GA," says Kalafati. "Not only that, the tower is still in place, and Athens' air traffic control radar facility is still housed there."
Kalafti suggests that although some government officials are receptive to the idea of reopening Hellinikon for GA, they face local pressure to turn the seaside location into a park. "The government could open Hellinkon again - it is only a matter of will," she says.
Meanwhile, pilots are given sporadic use of a military airfield 135km north of the capital. "But this is only available to Athens residents," says Kalafti. "Visitors are forced to use civilian and military airfields even further away." Many of these civilian airports are open only when an airline flight is scheduled, "which in some cases is only for an hour a day", she adds.
At military airfields, meanwhile, pilots have to provide four days' notice with the exact time of arrival and names of passengers, to be allowed access.
KATE SARSFIELD / LONDON
Source: Flight International
