Public Works and Transport Minister Tolga Atakan said that he was very pleased with today’s number of arrivals and departures at Ercan Airport, adding the number can sometimes go above 100, which shows how much the airport has grown over time and how it has come to be a port of preference.
He made the statement at the “Air Traffic Control Through History (February 1975-February 2019)” event, which marked the 44th anniversary of the first arrival of a plane at Ercan.
Public Works and Transport Minister Tolga Atakan said the first plane to land was a Turkish Airlines Ankara/Ercan flight, a 65 capacity F28 “Samsun” plane, landing 44 years ago on February 3, 1975, at 11.30 on the 16/34 runway, which is currently closed.
Giving information about the history of Ercan Airport, Minister Atakan said between 1941 and 1965 RAF Timbu airport was based at the location of Ercan Airport and Nicosia Airport was built as an alternative.
In 1977 a German plane that was bound for Ercan Airport was forced to land at Larnaca and afterwards, under the courageous direction of the pilot of the same plane, history was made when it landed at Ercan on November 14, 1977, Atakan said.
“On February 6, 1981, 4 Italian helicopters landed at Ercan and it was an important point in our aviation history,” he said.
“The increase in air traffic to 700-900 clearly shows us the increasing power of the Ercan Air Field. On behalf of my ministry, I thank everyone from the past to today for their support, and sector workers who have carried out their duties with devotion. I congratulate Ercan Airport on its 44th anniversary.”