According to the executive manager of the Finnish Aeronautical Association, Mr. Timo Latikka, giving up Malmi Airport to accommodate housing construction would be disadvantageous both economically and from the point of view of society, and would violate principles agreed upon earlier.<\/p>\n
Latikka refers to the final raport of a Ministry of Traffic workgroup, which states that no replacement for Malmi Airport can be pointed out in Helsinki region.<\/p>\n
The summary of the report reveals that building an airfield to replace Malmi would require a 30-50 million \u20ac initial investment. In addition, the annual operating costs would be around two million, Latikka adds up.<\/p>\n
He points out that the new airfield should be close enough to Helsinki. Public funds would be needed to build it, but obtaining them in the present economical situation is unlikely.<\/p>\n
– There’s only one conclusion to be made: the best replacement for Malmi Airport is Helsinki-Malmi, says Latikka in the FAA’s bulletin.<\/p>\n
Latikka was a member of the workgroup initiated by the Ministry. According to him, the report published by the workgroup did not fulfill the goals set by the minister.<\/p>\n
– The published report doesn’t comply with the will of FAA either, but is a summary made by the official who led the workgroup.<\/p>\n
In Latikka’s opinion, shutting down Malmi Airprot would violate the decision in principle that was made earlier.<\/p>\n
He reminds that in 2000, a feasible plan of a substitutive airfield was set as a prerequisite for shutting down Malmi Airport. No such plan has now been made.<\/p>\n
– [Shutting down Malmi Airport] will be made in full awareness of the fact that a significant part of our national pilot training will be closed down in the process, and the prerequisites of general and hobby aviation in the capital region will be destroyed or significantly weakened, not to mention the destruction of a site of international cultural heritage. This decision of national importance is in the hands of politicians, says Latikka.<\/p>\n