swanadmin – SWAN

Implementation of the network of Water Aerodromes and mini Terminals in Italy and Greece:

swanadmin — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 10:32:23 +0000

The 4th Steering Committee Meeting of the cooperation project “Swan” – “Enhancing regional transportation through Sustainable Water Aerodrome Network”, took place virtually on 22 December 2020, by web-connection from Palazzo di Città in Nardò (10:00-13.30); the project is funded for € 2.632.895,00 by the Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme 2014-2020.
Swanis funded under Priority Axis 3 (Cross-border and sustainable transport system), is coordinated by the Port Authority of Corfu S.A. (LB) and has as partners on the Italian side the Port System Authority of the Ionian Sea (PB3), the Municipality of Gallipoli (PB4) and the Municipality of Nardò (PB5), while on the Greek side, in addition to the Lead Partner, the Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands (PB2).
The Swan project aims at implementing, in the ports of Corfu, Paxoi, Erikousa, Manthraki and Othoni, in Greece, and Taranto, Gallipoli and Nardò (Santa Maria al Bagno), in Italy, 8 Water Aerodromes and mini Terminals, which will be used both for a series of services on the territory. The infrastructures of the water aerodromes, will support the multimodal integration and interconnection of transport modes, particularly the use of amphibious aircraft will enable the direct connection from land to water areas, like Port to Airport or from Port to Port or other remote or tourist areas. The water airport infrastructure will be highly environment-friendly, with simple and removable pontoons, while the operations area in the water area will be developed considering noise-abatement take off and approach path.The project idea was developed as a direct consequence of the lack of fast transport within the eligible area of the Programme. The project will connect the main ports, thus improving intermodality. The main Beneficiaries of the water aerodromes network and the offered services will be the Inhabitants and the tourists of the Programme area.
The central theme of the web-conference was the sharing of the progress of the activities currently ongoing, including the implementation and the completion of:
⦁ eight Water Aerodromes and mini Terminal stations in the identified sites: in fact, the activities of analysis and design of the infrastructures of the Water Aerodromes and Terminals in the territories of the partners involved are proceeding, with annexed analyses of environmental and noise impact. The LP and the Municipality of Nardò have completed these activities; specifically, the Municipality of Nardò has approved the executive project of the infrastructure in recent days following the closure, with a favorable outcome, of the Services Conference convened for the acquisition of all the necessary opinions and authorizations from the competent Authorities (⦁ Decision no. 1140 of 30.11.2020); the tenders for the implementation of the works and the purchase of the equipment will be launched by 2020;
⦁ flight test activities in Greece and Italy with the aim of demonstrating the technical feasibility of intermodal connections (ports and airports) between Apulia and Region of Ionian Islands using amphibious seaplanes. All project sites will be tested and checked. The first activities were carried out at Italian sites;
⦁ a training and education programme that will be launched at the beginning of February and will end in April 2021; it will be open to users from each project area selected by each partner within the staff of: civil protection, fire brigade, port authorities, environmental associations, marine protected areas management bodies, volunteers and young people interested in a new professional qualification. The main topics covered are: safety at sea, boardings and first aid, first aid planning at sea and on land, coordination of safety and protection measures, marine and air expertise, piloting techniques, elements of the Maritime and Air Navigation Code, civil protection, environmental monitoring, sea culture.

Meetings for scheduling the Test Flights in Swan Water Aerodromes

swanadmin — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 10:25:35 +0000

A round of virtual meetings have been organised by the Municipality of Nardo (PB5) in February with experts of Swan Water Aerodromes and local aviation & maritime authorities in order to schedule the Test Flights in the Water Aerodromes of Gallipoli, Taranto, Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands. The meetings will be completed the upcoming weeks and the demo-flights are expected to be conducted during March and April 2021. During the test-Flights, a survey will be implemented, testing safety and environmental issues. Main topics of the agenda were:

⦁ Management of institutional relations and communications at local level:
⦁ Harmonisation of aerial traffic and security for seaplane operations in the involved ports
⦁ Harmonisation with commercial or cruise maritime traffic of seaplane flotation and take-off and in-water flotation path for the approach to the pontoon.
2.            Need for assistance of an air dinghy for ditching operations (during flight test operations). These operations could also be carried out with the support of the harbour master’s office.
3.            Need for radio contact on a dedicated aeronautical MHz frequency with the control tower of local Airports.
4.            Identification if the Port Authorities has an aeronautical radio and can be in radio contact on the same frequency with the control tower and the pilots of the seaplanes. Alternatively, it will be necessary to establish radio contact on marine vhf channel.
5.            Site plan and ship point with ditching coordinates of the 8 water aerodromes.
6.            Identification whether the testing aircraft will be allowed to ditch within the harbour.
7.            Identification of slipways in the ports for possible refuelling and not resorting to refuelling at the Airport in order to reduce flight time and hours.
8.            Identification if the pontoon in use for docking is fenced in with horizontal wings, and assistant for the safety of third parties, things and people, with the delimitation to transit only to authorized personnel.

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swanadmin — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 23:45:35 +0000

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