########################################################################## # If Goanet stops reaching you, contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # Want to check the archives? http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
AIRPORT SCENE GROWS CURIOUSER Thanks to a private update on the airport scene, the picture regarding the military use of Dabolim airport is getting a bit clearer. The Navy not only uses the airport for imparting basic/intermediate stage flight training to its pilots (for which morning hours are blocked for 4 out of 7 days in the week) but also for operations related to patrol aircraft and fighter aircraft. A variety of helicopters is also based at Dabolim. The Coast Guard uses the airport for small surveillance aircraft/helicopters. Now it seems the Indian Air Force also uses the place for "exercises" with its advanced aircraft. This pervasive military picture is much more than what the Navy's public relations pieces in the media have led us to believe so far. To me there doesnt seem much scope for a winding down of the military presence at Dabolim Airport, Yenkebe/Seabird or no Yenkebe/Seabird. Perhaps to the conrtrary. We may have to accept the growth of Mopa as inevitable much as Kochi went in for a greenfield civilian airport in the face of Navy's constraints. Which, if you ask me, is really a crying shame. The alternative is to check out international cases of the move of big military bases (Philippines?) out of their enclaves and see if one can build up a similar case here. Any takers?