(translated by Seppo Sipil\u00e4, Friends of Malmi Airport)<\/p>\n
If Helsinki-Malmi Airport is closed down, the relocation of pilot training from Malmi’s controlled environment is a serious safety risk. Especially the training of professional pilots has to be taken care of in an environment with comprehensive air navigation services such as air traffic control and flight dispatch. Pilot training is at its most efficient in the capital region, where aviation branch jobs are also mostly located.<\/p>\n
Due to the busy scheduled traffic, Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport is not suited for pilot training for reasons related to air traffic control, economy and safety .<\/p>\n
The Finnish Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (FATCA) concurs with the survey ordered by the Ministry of Transport\u00a0and Communications that small airfields without ATC, such as Hyvink\u00e4\u00e4 and Nummela, are not suitable for training professional pilots.<\/p>\n
Helsinki-Malmi Airport is a key part of the capital region’s air traffic network. In addition to pilot training, almost all helicopter flights in the capital region and a considerable number of various professional flights are operated from there. Nor can the Frontier Guard’s training and inspection flights be relocated to Helsinki-Vantaa without causing serious delays to scheduled air traffic.<\/p>\n
The majority of the training and helicopter flights operated from Malmi are unsuitable to be mixed together with the airliners operating at\u00a0Helsinki-Vantaa. It is the FATCA’s opinion that for the safety, economy and ATC related reasons mentioned above, Helsinki-Malmi Airport must not be closed down.<\/p>\n
With about 80.000 annual operations, Malmi Airport is one of the busiest and most important airports in our country. 65% of the pilots trained at Malmi find employment in the aviation branch. Under no circumstance can Malmi be closed down without risks before a new airport to take its place has been built and taken into use in the capital region.<\/p>\n
For more information:<\/p>\n
Chairman Roy Myrberg, tel. +358 45 131 6160
\npuheenjohtaja@sljy.org, www.sljy.fi<\/p>\n
Safety team: RWY-safety responsible officer Miikka Pellosniemi, tel. +358 40 769 7378
\nmiikka.pellosniemi@sljy.org<\/p>\n