After flying over the airspace of 25 countries of the world, two pilots of Swiss nationality landed this Friday at the International Airport El Catey – President Juan Bosch (Samaná), on a trip to promote sustainable aviation fuel.
Swiss pilots Mattias Nierdha and Robin Wenger arrived at the air terminal in the Diamond DA50 aircraft. They were received by a delegation headed by the executive director of the Airport Department, Victor Pichardo, together with the Swiss ambassador in the country, Rita Hämmerli-Weschke.
Sustainable aviation
The pilots’ initiative aims to promote sustainable aviation fuel and to visit the photovoltaic energy project, located in Monte Plata province and considered one of the most important in the Caribbean, as well as the recently inaugurated recycling plant.
Pilots Mattias and Robín mentioned the importance of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the continued growth of tourism and environmental protection and recommended the promotion and development of clean energy projects.
The Austrian-made, single-engine DA-50 aircraft was made of composite materials and a piston diesel engine, with a capacity for five people and equipped with long-life tanks. It has a range of 3000 miles, with a top speed of 185 knots and a ceiling of 23,000 feet.
Why Dominican Republic?
Among the motivations for including the Dominican Republic in the tour, they cite the success of local tourism, its airports and hotel complexes, which now characterize the Caribbean nation.
For his part, the director of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo, emphasized that this is one more example of the confidence that is being achieved by promoting aeronautics and airports as a priority point for world connectivity and a cornerstone for the development of tourism.
Pichardo also indicated that all this is a preamble to the new protocol that will be announced soon, as part of the relaunch and the interest in attracting tourism of non-commercial private aviation of the large market that exists in the Caribbean, in addition to those from the United States and Canada.
“The technology of this aircraft in its flight around the world, is a seed inspiration for the youth and the whole country, in order to develop an aeronautical industry and logistics center in an island country like the Dominican Republic, and a hub for naval and air routes of all continents,” said Pichardo.
Pilots’ itinerary
The world pilots departed from Zuriz, Switzerland, passing through Austria, Hungary, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Oman, Karachi, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Palau, Guam, Marshall Islands, Hawaii, Monterey, Denver, Houston, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Curacao, Grenada, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, until arriving at Samana International Airport.
The next destinations are the Bahamas, the United States, Canada, Iceland, England, Holland, Germany and will end at their point of departure in Zurich.
The company GB Energy Aviation provided, as a collaboration, the fuel for the departure of the aircraft from the country to its next destination.
The large welcoming delegation was also integrated by the director of the Specialized Body for Airport and Civil Aviation Security (CESAC), Major General Carlos Ramón Febrillet; Miguel Mejía, director of Sustainable Development of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC) and pilots of the Aeroclub Dominicano 74.
