“Without any doubt, when it comes to aviation, Malta is the right place to be at this time. Our aircraft register has more than doubled in the last four years. We are recording record numbers of passengers year on year. In August the Malta International Airport welcomed 551,179 passengers, making it an all time record,” Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said today.
He was speaking during the 31st aviation Eropean Association of Aviation Psychology Conference.
This year is the 100th anniversary of worldwide commercial flying, the 40th anniversary of the national airline and the 35th anniversary of the Maltese-run Air Navigation Services. And, to cap it off, this coming weekend Malta will be hosting its biggest air show ever.
“2015 will be another important year. We will be celebrating 100 years of aviation in Malta. Few know that since 1915 this island has had at least two seaplane ports and five airfields. One of the airfields is in fact the location known as Ta’ Qali where incidentally you will be having your reception this evening,” Dr Zammit Lewis said.
“You might be asking: why is the Tourism Minister addressing an aviation psychology event? That’s a very pertinent question.
“When this administration was elected last year a decision was taken that aviation should fall under the remit of the Tourism Ministry, given how the tourism sector, and indeed this island’s prosperity, depends on aviation. It is the source of travel for 99% of all those coming here. Aviation is the key to the success of our tourism industry that accounts for almost a third of our GDP,” he explained.
Now, with one sole Ministry having the airport and the national airline together within its portfolio, he continued “we can therefore adopt a more comprehensive and holistic approach, also for the longer term”.
“With five flying schools, one Part 147 organisation and two dispatch courses running in the next few months on the island, we surely do not underestimate human factors in aviation.
“I highly commend the initiatives taken by this Association in addressing critical issues involving human factors and safety management, including accident prevention and investigation, with an emphasis on practical techniques for application in the operational environment.
“I believe that air safety investigation outcomes must have a positive impact on accident prevention programmes, equipment design, operating procedures, training, flight standards, SMS and regulation. Indeed, we are working hard to establish a solid Bureau of Air Accident Investigation in our jurisdiction,” he said.