HELICOPTERS RETURN TO THE SKY, BUT “BLACKHAWKS” WILL REST AT NIGHT

HELICOPTERS RETURN TO THE SKY, BUT “BLACKHAWKS” WILL REST AT NIGHT

05/24/2021

Slovak Training Academy will continue in the coming weeks to perform professional education and training of the new helicopter pilots. The current phase of the pilot course also includes night flights, but only on smaller Schweizer and MD-530 aircraft, which are not as noisy as UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

“Earlier last month, we announced that we would not be training at night on our ‘Blackhawks’ during the months of June, July and August. In this way, we meet the needs of residents of locations near the International Airport in Košice, who complained about night exercises, especially in the summer, when they have windows open at night, “said Dominik Varga, CEO of STA.

Slovak Training Academy has currently completed, noise measurements study, through a certified company, which were carried out during the spring months during high-intensity training, both during the day and at night. “We will submit the study to the relevant state authorities for assessment and we believe that it will help us to objectify the topic of noise pollution to the population. At the same time, it will show us more precisely what possibilities our company has when looking for new air corridors so that we can meet the needs of the people as much as possible, “added Dominik Varga.

The Slovak Training Academy has already taken several measures in the past, which contributed to solving the problem of noise pollution. Instructors fly higher than the prescribed flight altitude, helicopters often change routes so that the noise does not continuously burden the inhabitants of the affected areas. During the spring months, the company diverted flight routes from the Protected Bird Area in Zemplín and from the nesting place of the Royal Eagle. At the same time, negotiations began on the possibilities of expanding cooperation with the airports in Poprad and Spišská Nová Ves. With this step, the company wants to disperse the training over a larger area so as to prevent possible complaints from the population.

“We can assure the public that we provide pilot training in accordance with Slovak legislation as well as in accordance with applicable European aviation legislation. Qualified training of helicopter pilots is our priority activity and thanks to that we employ hundreds of people in the Košice region and its surroundings. Our company behaves responsibly towards the inhabitants of the region in which it operates, which is why we regularly meet and discuss with representatives of the city of Košice as well as with other representatives of regional self-governments, “said Dominik Varga.

Slovak Training Academy is a general partner of the Aviation Faculty of the Technical University in Košice and a continuation of the rich tradition of aviation training in the region. Through its subsidiary Heli Company, it also participates in the training of pilots for the needs of the Slovak Air Force

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