AFM's new patrol boats ahead of schedule

The construction of four patrol boats for the Armed Forces of Malta is well on schedule and they should be delivered in six months.

The AFM signed a contract with Austal Ships, a world leading manufacturer, following an international call for tenders, which included training sailors and engineers. This was the shipbuilder's first defence contract in Europe.

The patrol boats, being constructed in Western Australia, are more than 20 metres long and reach a maximum speed of 26 knots.

Lieutenant Colonel Martin Sammut, the project's team leader, said the excellent relationship established with the shipbuilder promised the delivery of the best product in line with the agreed requirements.

The patrol boats are equipped with better communication and surveillance equipment when compared to the type installed in the vessels now in use by the armed forces. The boats include a rigid hull inflatable boat stowed and launched off a ramp on the main deck.

The squadron maintains the integration of the islands' territorial waters, combats drug trafficking, conducts illegal immigration and illegal fishing operations and operates a search and rescue service.

In all, the boats cost €9.6 million, but the government will only be forking out 25 per cent of the cost, the rest coming from the EU's External Borders Fund.

(www.timesofmalta.com)

Upgrading of taxiways at Malta Int'l Airport

Works have been concluded on the third phase of the Taxiway upgrading programme being undertaken by Malta Int'l Airport plc. These works are intended to ensure that the airfield infrastructure is compliant with the latest ICAO standards and recommended practices and to facilitate the taxiing sequence of all aircraft using the airport.

Since last February comprehensive works have been taking place to upgrade Taxiways C & D which connect Apron 9 to the principal Runway 31/13. During these works, extensive parts of the taxiway pavement were extended and re-paved whilst all taxiway lighting services were replaced. To ensure the continuity of operations, a significant part of the work was executed at night, whenever possible diverting aircraft to the shorter Runway 23/05.

Taxiways C & D were resumed to service today, with the first aircraft using the upgraded taxiway system being the Air Malta flight KM418 departing at 0900 to Toulouse/Lyon.

(www.maltairport.com).

Air Malta plane cuts flight to Istanbul

An Air Malta Airbus A319 cut short a flight to Istanbul (KM785) and returned to Malta this morning because of suspected problems in an electrical generator.

The plane was 50 minutes into its flight when the pilot decided to return to Malta as a precautionary measure, passengers said.

The plane landed safely back in Malta. The flight had left Malta at 5.50 a.m.

An Air Malta spokesman told timesofmalta.com that engineers had established that this was a minor fault in the power supply to the airconditioning system. The flight will leave again for Turkey at 9.30 a.m.

(www.timesofmalta.com)

9H-ELE delivered o Efly at Malta Int'l Airport

The latest addition on the Maltese Civil Aicraft Register, a British Aerospace BAe.146-300, with registration 9H-ELE (c/n. E3209, ex G-JEBG), was delivered to Efly at Malta Int'l Airport this evening, landing at around 2000LT.

9H-ELE is the first aircraft on the Maltese Civil Aircraft Register registered to Efly.

Malta Int'l Airport relases traffic results for May 2009

During the month of May M.I.A. registered a 15.8% decline in passenger movements. This results in an average decrease of 11.2% for the first five months of 2009 when compared to the corresponding period last year.

The total passenger movements on scheduled and non-scheduled flights in May 2009 was of 257,510 a decline of 48,313 when compared to May 2008. Likewise, both aircraft movements and cargo & mail figures registered a decline of 8.3% and 17.2% respectively.

Passenger traffic for the three main markets, U.K., Italy and Germany, decreased by 15.1%, 1.0% and 24.1% respectively.

The busiest day in May 2009 was the 30th in terms of passengers with 10,518 movements whilst the highest number of aircraft movements totalled to 93 on the 24th May.

(www.maltairport.com)

Inauguration of the new extension at Malta Int'l Airport

M.I.A. has unveiled today the €25 million project that included improvements on airside and landside as well as the extension of the external space that previously separated the arrivals from the departures area.

The departures area has additional retail outlets with varied products, the catering outlets have been enlarged and refurbished, whilst new comfortable seating has been installed throughout the whole area.

At level -1, visitors may enjoy dinining in the food court with different catering outlets all in the same area, including an Asian cuisine eatery and an Irish Pub. The additional space on this level also includes a fully equipped conference room.

Other improvements include the completion of the Schengen extension, with a virtual shopping mall to complement the retail area, doubling of security lanes and new carousels in the baggage reclaim area.

On airside, the runway has been re surfaced, taxiways have been upgraded and new flood lighting of the apron installed.

During the inauguration, M.I.A.’s CEO J. Jaeger said "Our aim is to become the best airport of the Mediterranean, we already compare very well with European airports in our category"

All this has been done with confidence and wise investment and has enabled M.I.A. provide the service and comfort available for its customers today.

M.I.A. is determined to pursue similar efforts with further projects in the near future.

(www.maltairport.com)

Two new Part-M Subpart G CAMO approval in Malta by Malta's DCA

Malta's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has issued two new Part-M Subpart-G Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) approvals in Malta to:

• Harbour Air Malta Limited - approval reference MT.MG.06
• Carre Aviation Limited - Approval reference: MT.MG.09