THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY CONTINUES TO EXAMINE ALTERNATIVES – MEANWHILE THE STATUS QUO PREVAILS

The following update was issued by the Modiin Municipality spokesperson regarding the meeting that took place Wednesday between Modiin Mayor Chaim Bibas and the CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority, Giyora Rom:

The mayor of Modiin, Chaim Bibas and his deputy Chanan Bernshtein, met with Giyora Rom, the CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority, last Wednesday. This was yet another meeting between the sides, as part of the struggle to change the proposed flight path over Modiin.

At this meeting Giyora Rom said that the alternatives that the city has proposed are being reviewed in simulation equipment by Continental Airlines, in the USA. The Americans had several questions and needed further clarification regarding some of the proposed landing paths presented to them by the Civil Aviation Authority, and an answer is expected within the next few weeks, as to whether these proposals are viable alternatives.


The alternatives include a number of options proposed by the Modiin municipality and the Civil Aviation Authority that would divert the flight paths to unpopulated areas of the city or change the altitude of the landing planes in a way that would limit the impact to the quality of life of the residents of Modiin.

It should be noted that the Modiin municipality hired Israeli as well as international aviation experts who are working with the Civil Aviation Authority with the goal of finding alternatives to the landing path originally proposed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Mayor Bibas demanded that in either case, after the results of the simulation are determined, that real test flights be conducted in order for the alternatives to be tested by pilots in coordination with representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority that will come to Modiin in order to see the impact.

Rom has promised the representatives of Modiin that they will kept up to date at every stage and development in the process, in the spirit of real cooperation between the parties, in order to try and resolve the issue. Rom assured that a situation in which the new flight paths will go into effect without the representatives of Modiin being informed about it will not happen.

The Modiin Municipality emphasized that the meeting was a positive one and in an atmosphere of real cooperation between the parties. It seems that as a result of the tenacious confrontation of the Irya and the citizens of Modiin,  that the representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority have realized that they cannot ignore and disregard the city of Modiin and its residents.

These update meetings and examining of the alternatives will continue over the next few weeks. On September 10th, the Minister of Transportation, Yisrael Katz, who is the overseer of both the Civil Aviation Authority and the Israeli Airport Authority, is expected to visit Modiin.

The bottom line is that the Civil Aviation Authority is continuing to examine the alternatives for the landing paths in order to minimize the negative impact on the residents of Modiin. During this exploratory period the status quo will prevail and no flights will fly over the city and no new paths will be approved without coordination with the Modiin Municipality.

We thank the 460 residents of Modiin-Macabim-Reut who flooded the decision makers both in the offices of the aviation authorities and in the government offices in Jerusalem, with emails, and faxes expressing their strong opposition to the flight path that was proposed by the Israel Airport Authority, who reminded the powers that be, that behind the Mayor of Modiin stands a large and determined public that will not allow Modiin to be turned into an airport. 

Our impression is that the public and political pressure has had an effect and that the aviation authorities and the Minister of Transportation are now making an earnest effort to find an alternate solution for the decent path for runway #30. We expect the Civil Aviation Authority to continue to fully examine all alternatives and to leave no stone unturned until they find the proper alternative for the descending flight paths which will not impact negatively on the quality of life and safety of the citizens of Modiin.

We will continue to follow up and keep you updated of the developments.

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