Sunday, February 21, 2010

Preliminary Presentation on Survey Results

Logo Launched

Saturday, February 20, 2010

MALEK Gelabert is open until 10 PM.

Sept 4. 2009  (AAC)


The international airport Marco A. Gelabert, Albrook and David Enrique Malek Airport-Chiriqui, are operating until 10 pm, in order to extend the flight schedules of domestic airlines and international flights arrive in our country.

This new system allows airlines to extend their hours of local operations and private aircraft owners wishing to travel at night.

The extension of these hours will also be used for flight schools to provide instruction to students in evening hours and thus raise the level and quality of training of pilots.
The Director General of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Licdo. Rafael E. Barcenas Chiari, adopted by circular AAC/DSA/05/09 of aeronautics 02/Agosto / the extension of airport operations Marcos A. Gelabert and Enrique Malek from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Considering the importance to civil aviation, we reproduce this important announcement.

Bidding Meeting Delayed Until Last Week of February

According to several sources the bidding on the project was delayed for a few weeks in order to provide enough time for the construction companies to get accurate calculations together.  It is also confirmed that the companies bidding are indeed busy quoting construction materials, engineering calculations, and design work.  The meeting to review the bids should take place Monday February 22, 2010.

ANNOUNCE BID FOR AIRPORT EXPANSION IN CHIRIQUI ENRIQUE MALEK

Jan, 28th 2010 (AAC)
48 companies attended the meeting and approval prior to the bidding public event to be held Feb. 9, which provides for the expansion project Enrique Malek airport in David, Chiriqui. 

This project is covered at a cost of
 $ 24 million and will go to public tender.

The project includes design and construction, is scheduled to extend the runway of 2 thousand 100 meters (six thousand 888 feet) to 2 thousand 600 meters (8 thousand 500 feet).

There is also provision in the proposed expansion of the passenger terminal, so that the same has a greater capacity for 500 passengers entering and leaving the same amount.

The AAC advances efforts to ensure that this project becomes a reality as soon as possible. It should be noted that there are already major companies interested in this obra.en
 

Traveling from DAV to USA via San Jose

On Feb. 12, Margo, India, and I flew from DAV to San Jose, Costa Rica on Air Panama.  Then we connected to flight 972 to MIA, Miami International on American Airlines.  Our flight to San Jose was delayed one hour because apparently Air Panama needed to send a special A&P technician to San Jose to fix another plane.  (And I thought boats where a bunch of trouble!)  Even with the delay, we arrived in plenty of time to transfer calmly to our international flight.  Our Air Panama flight parked on the ramp behind a hanger with a Gulfstream Jet, a United States of America government jet.  A modern and clean passenger bus picked up all the passengers and transported us to the main terminal.  The San Jose terminal is modern, clean, and busy building.   At passport control they warned us that it was not their fault if we missed our flight,  as if they had been through some special circumstances with other clients trying to avoid spending a night in Panama City.
Our luggage came out much quicker than the David airport, and there are plenty of free luggage carts to use.  The San Jose luggage claim area puts to shame the Tocumen airport also.  Much like PTY, after customs you must give up the cart and use the services of a porter.   The porter we used showed us the way, across the street, to the left, under the parking garage to the elevator.  Upstairs you go to the right and cross the street, enter the check in area, and walk to the left.  At the customs service desk you need to explain to them that you are in transfer and that will help you fill out some forms that are free.  With these forms you then go to the airline check-in counter, check-in, then you go through passport control, and security.   With a child they make you feel extra special  (again something that PTY needs to learn).   Once you are in the passenger terminal, there are an amazing array of concessions to choose from.   Why is Tocumen, PTY so different?

Friday, February 19, 2010

Milestone Reached!

Thank you everyone for your responses.  Looks like we have approximately 3,801 seats per year on a direct flight between the USA and DAV (David, Panama).  Weekly flights on a 737 add up to 7,535 seats. We are more than halfway there!  Please continue to spread the word.  We need the support of everyone who will be using this route.  The time has come to make direct flights a reality.

Meeting with Air Panama regarding direct flights to DAV from USA or Tocumen (PTY)


On February 2, Margo (my wife) and I met with Raul Morales, the Commercial Manager, for Air Panama.  We discussed the possibility of direct flights from Tocumen as well as from the USA to David. Mr. Morales expressed interest in a route between the USA and David, presumably referring to a (jet) turbine aircraft that Air Panama will soon put into operations. This new aircraft will give Air Panama the range to serve longer routes.   I mentioned that the DAV Direct group would be interested in participating in the business of direct flight operations in order to make them a viable activity in the short term.  Additionally, Mr. Morales mentioned that a 4th flight, perhaps in the evening, will begin operations shortly on the Albrook - David route.  Mr. Morales sited that Air Panama would be using the extra hours of night time operations that is now available at the DAV airport.  For those of you concerned with weather during nighttime operations, please note that AAC authorities have stated that the weather patterns at night time are more favorable to flight operations than those in the afternoon.  Indeed, the few night flights that i have been on from Albrook to David (operated at night time due to delays) where indeed completely uneventful and smooth.

Sent from my iPhone

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