Neringa, who has ruthlessly taxed cars, will love planes: the richest will come, but they will pay nothing.

After a break of several years, a small plane landed in Neringa three years ago in 2016. A year later, an order from the Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces came into force restricting the flights of civil aircraft in the border area of ​​the Republic of Lithuania.

This restriction has also been applied to the Nida field landing site. Given that the new order does not restrict flights in airfield areas of airfields, including in the border area of ​​the Republic of Lithuania, steps have been taken to change the state of the Nida siege.

In order to allow small planes to land in Nida again, the work foreseen in the forest management plan was carried out. Marking and installation of equipment (wind turbines and fire fighting equipment). There is also a radio connection. Relevant documentation has been prepared. After this work, the Civil Aviation Department of the Transport Competition Agency was contacted to obtain a permit to operate the aerodrome.

After the Commission’s evaluation of the special requirements, the Neringa Municipality Administration received an Aerodrome Fitness Certificate, which states that the infrastructure in Nida meets the requirements for aerodromes and can be used for civil aircraft operations.

“I am pleased that a consensus has been reached and that Neringa can be reached by air again. It is especially gratifying that requests from foreign travelers to come to the complex by plane are finally met. I have no doubt that among air travelers we will be the more attractive not only in the country, but also in Europe “, – the mayor of the municipality of Neringa, D. Jasaitis, was not without optimism.

The aerodrome with a runway 815 m long and 30 m wide will be available to gliders, helicopters and light aircraft (ULO). Nida Air Park is responsible for the maintenance of the aerodrome.

The mayor of Neringa is convinced that the said airfield will give Nida even more attractive and, in future plans, the desire to have regular flights connecting the pearl of the Curonian Spit with Druskininkai.

– What are Nida’s expectations with this Nida airfield? What kind of flows do you expect in it ?, we asked the mayor of the municipality of Neringa.

– Frankly, there is no reason for environmentalists to fear aerodrome flows. On Monday night, during the celebration, we had a series of airspace and aerodrome flow regulators that helped accommodate the 37 planes that arrived. It won’t happen on normal days because we had an opening ceremony on July 6. During the same, the aerodrome was filled to the maximum.

At the moment, I think we can accommodate 15 planes at the airport, with a maximum of 20 small planes. Here and all its currents.

We had environment and transport ministers as guests. We showed where aircraft storage could be increased, then more passengers would arrive. In Germany alone, there are around 150,000 small planes that could land in Nida.

I am afraid to say how many there are in Poland and how many in Scandinavia. For example, there were three planes with German records on Monday.

We are very interested, but our opportunities are very, very limited, despite the fact that the runway is one of the best in Europe. Often, airfield runways are the simplest meadows.

Another problem is aircraft storage, which has yet to be resolved. We have a public institution “Nida Air Park”, it is its acting director, the pilots who arrive will present their observations on the infrastructure, taking into account the finances, we will try to improve it ourselves or we will look for sponsors.

In any case, it is already a pleasure to have the opportunity to get to Nida by air, reserve a place at the airport, reserve it. Those who are lucky enough to do so can fly.

– Does a system already exist where prospective Nida guests can reserve a seat at the airfield for their plane online?

– The site is not yet available, we only received a license last Friday afternoon, we signed a temporary employment contract with the director. The fact is that we have not invested in it yet. We didn’t know until Friday noon that we would already have a license.

But I have no doubt that such a reservation system will exist, it is extremely necessary. There will be something like a marina system where when you visit the site you see how many vacancies are available, you can pay online and the like.

Although we will not be taxing flying vehicles until today, there certainly will be no such tax this year. Those loads are too low and those flying planes are too few to do it.

– Will small planes, unlike cars, buses, charge no entry fee?

– We don’t really plan, we want to see who will come here, who will come and how they will be here. And planes have a huge storage site the state has invested in, they don’t pose such problems, unlike cars and buses.

I spoke to a pilot who flew in from Vilnius, two people were traveling in a small plane and burned 20 liters of fuel. Saying that planes are polluting is a lie and complete propaganda.

Try to come to Nida by car with 20 liters of Vilnius, you will not succeed.

I saw on the license, I don’t know what it means, up to 5.7 tons of planes can land at Nida airfield. I can’t tell you what the planes are, but the largest that landed on Monday was a five-seater.

– Maybe someone will offer regular flights on those planes in the future?

– As far as I know, if something has not changed over the years, such activities are not possible at the airfields, although we dream of it. It is possible to fly, stay and fly with your own plane, with friends.

There are no regular commercial flights at airfields, you need an airport, and Nida probably won’t.

– But would you like to have an airport instead of an airfield in the future?

– Perhaps we would like to change the legislation so that certain aerodromes, like ours, which are paved, with a large runway instead of a simple meadow, can attend scheduled flights.

Druskininkai, for example, is very interested, they say, they should have a regular tour of 12 tourists every day. They would fly, they would see the Curonian Spit, they would eat smoked fish, and they would fly again.

We would like very much, we will see how we managed to implement it. And with regard to the airport, it must be understood that we ourselves will not survive in any way. There are an infinite number of requirements for airports, obligations, necessary infrastructure, we understand that we will not be able to do it, at least as long as there are such requirements for airports as those that exist today.

– The press release states that Neringa received inquiries from foreign travelers on how to get there by plane, which ones did Germany lead?

– The Germans really led, they have the most information about Nida, it is natural, there is no shortage of them in Nida. When they returned, they said that there was an airstrip, so they asked us about the possibility of flying. We will post the information through a dedicated international website. We receive around 150 such inquiries during the season.

Incidentally, the last request was very interesting from the German government. Asked about the possibility of flying to Nida, the opening of the Thomas Mann Festival. When we sent the plane parameters, we realized that only Palanga can accept your plane.

– You have previously stated that the Nida runway “was not authorized to be called an aerodrome by environmental services”. How did you come to terms with the environment, how did you support the airfield at Nida?

– We were able to clarify the differences between the airport and the airfield with the esteemed Jurgis Kairis and other airmen. They realized that they had been wrong for many years and had completely mixed the road with the gravel road. In this case, such a comparison would be appropriate.

There’s really no chance of causing damage to the Curonian Spit. Jurgis Kairis also visited the UNESCO commission, we answered many questions. Probably, it was important to talk, communicate, take an interest in themselves, so in this case we did it.

When interacting with the aerodrome opponents, I personally had the impression that they did not understand what an aerodrome and an airport are, which makes them different. Fear of regular airline flights, huge lines and related problems.

– In order to allow small planes to land in Nida again, the work foreseen in the forest management plan has been carried out. What are those jobs, how many trees had to be cut down?

– We were very lucky, a good coincidence, that the Curonian Spit National Park or the State Service of Protected Areas prepared a European project for landscaping, the landscape with a view of the lagoon was fixed and the project also covered the territory of the aerodrome. According to the aerodrome safety requirements, there should be no trees up to 30 meters away, trees of the proper height could grow up to 60 meters, so some trees had to be felled and the work was done.

– How many permanent staff will the aerodrome have to take care of its maintenance?

– The acting director has been recruited since Friday. Our desire as a municipality for airmen to come to a public office and retain a director themselves, to think about the development of the aerodrome, I mean airplane storage, the appearance of several hangars. Will we have to agree? I’m afraid I must say it, but that plan is for fall. We will invite associations, public institutions and discuss how to continue doing it here and how to live.

– The runway length is 815 meters, its width is 30 meters, will its entire area be used for takeoffs and landings?

– The dimensions of the trail are as follows, but I must point out that the environmental work has been carried out for the use of the trail for 500 meters. Using the entire length is not allowed as additional trees would have to be felled on the Neringa water supply side, so the length of the trail currently in operation is 500 meters.

– Obviously, the aerodrome will be used by higher income tourists who can rent or own a small plane or helicopter.

– Who owns a plane, must have income, here is the fact. Airborne pilots are the most disciplined road users, after all, I wasn’t kidding about operating an airplane. I had to see them inspect planes on Monday.

The richest and at the same time most orderly and disciplined tourists will come, those who follow the rules, know what the rules are and do not interfere with the rest of the rest. It makes me extremely happy.

– What are the planned financial flows of the public institution, perhaps there will be no talk of profit if taxes are not applied to guests departing from Nida?

– You’re right. On Monday, I heard speeches from pilots about wanting to sign a contract to train in planning. If that will make a lot of money, I doubt if you’re afraid to say it.

This year, the public body received 5,000 euros from the municipal budget, I do not know if the municipality could allocate more this year, because the income from the budget is far behind the planned income. In autumn we will see what awaits the situation.

Lithuanian units would allow it

Delphi He wondered how much a flight to Nida could cost without having his own plane.

The Vilnius Aeroclub website states that private aircraft are rented at the airfield: two double Cessna 150 seats. If you have a pilot’s license, a verification flight is conducted, the pilot’s qualifications are verified, and an aircraft lease is signed. Your rent is calculated by the hour.

If you want to use the plane for several days, for example, to fly to Nida on Friday and return to the Vilnius Aeroclub flight base, the Paluknis airfield on Sunday night, there will be a separate agreement.

An hour’s rental with fuel and insurance costs around 120 euros, so flying to Nida will cost around 400-500 euros. An agreed symbolic rent would be charged for the aircraft left at the airfield. So, in theory, it would cost around 1000 euros to get to Nida and return to the Paluknis airfield by renting that plane.

A Schweizer 300C helicopter can be chartered at Molėtai Airport. According to Algimantas Raupelis, director of the Molėtai Aeroclub, it is theoretically possible to get to Nida with him, but in reality there would be units in Lithuania that could afford that luxury.

“The bottom line is the price. A very expensive flight, mainly the cost of operating a helicopter. A round trip would cost around 2,000 euros. Also, the three-seater helicopter we rented is relatively slow, not designed to fly passengers. a long distance.

If we lived in some kind of Switzerland, that amount wouldn’t seem that big, plus a light plane is enough for a flight to Nida, it is not worth taking a helicopter to the skies. It is more aimed where other planes cannot land, “said A. Raupelis.

According to him, there are practically no helicopters in Lithuania that can be rented, there is no demand, there is no offer.

“Perhaps there would be one in Lithuania who could afford to fly to Palanga or Nida, but when there is no increased demand, it is too difficult to maintain such a plane.

Overall, there were hardly any helicopters left in Lithuania, which had been sold, crashed. Compared to a light aircraft, maintaining a helicopter is ten times more expensive, ”said the head of Molėtai Aeroclub.