Hermes upgrades airports’ runways

HERMES airports have completed the first phase of a €7 million runway upgrade this week, with further work expected to run until March 2012.

The upgrades to Larnaca and Paphos airports include new asphalt surfacing for the taxiways and new lighting to mark aircraft approaches.

Hermes public relations manager Adamos Aspris said yesterday that more than 100 workers carried out the work between midnight and 7am during most nights over the past six months.

Aspris said: “The first phase of upgrading the channels and the two Cypriot airports began on November 1, 2010 and was completed just a few days ago,” adding that “the total cost upgrade work is expected to exceed €7 million.”

He said that the work performed included new asphalt for the runways and taxiways at Larnaca airport and a full runway at Paphos airport. The work also includes new paving at taxiway intersections and repairs to lighting and cables.

The entire project is due to be completed in March 2012, and is set to include the widening of taxiways, replacement of all light bulbs on runway approaches.

Aspris said: “With these works, Hermes Airports aims to improve in safety and runway quality in both airports, operating a reliable lighting and signalling which is entirely consistent with international rules.

The completion of the first phase of upgrades coincides with a two day conference on aviation safety in Nicosia this week.

The conference, organised by the Flight Safety Foundation for Southeast Europe, brings together 23 countries to discuss international regulations and enforcement and education of aviation staff.

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) secretary Raymond Benjamin, Aviation Safety Agency director William Voss and European Civil Aviation Conference president Catalin Radu will attend the conference, along with global experts from international organisations, educational centres, Airbus, the Civil Aviation Authority and U.S. airlines.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.