Vrsac International Airport

Vršac International Airport
Serbian Latin: MeÄ'unarodni Aerodrom VrÅ¡ac) (IATA: N/A, ICAO: LYVR) is one of Serbia's busiest sport airports and Serbia's fourth international airport since December 28, 2006. The airport is mainly utilized for air-taxi operations, pilot training, basic aircraft maintenance, and agricultural aviation.

There are five hangars built at the airport, these accommodate aircraft of the flight school and of the agricultural aviation division. An office building with classrooms and a control tower are adjacent to hangars and the concrete aircraft apron. Runway width is 25 m (82 ft).

Contents
1 History
2 Airport services
2.1 JAT Airways Flight Academy
2.2 Maintenance
3 Reconstruction
4 Airlines and destinations
5 See also
6 Sources

History
The first flight on the slopes of Mt. Vršac was performed by the Romanian pilot-engineer Aurel Vlaiku on August 11, 1912. The starting year of aeronautical tradition was 1925. when aeronautical club "Naša Krila" (English: "Our Wings") was founded. A study was made about the advantages of this region for development of gliding sport, and this had initiated the investors to build the first hangar in 1934.

After World War II the intensive training of glider pilots continued. In 1954 Vršac becomes official State Aeronautical Centre. Glider pilots were now joined by parachutists, airplane pilots and aircraft-model makers. Vršac was the recruitment centre for recreational aeronautics until 1972. Flyers from this centre took place in many world championships and brought many medals and records. In 1972 Vršac hosted the third World Championship in Gliding.

In 1972 the national airline of Yugoslavia, JAT Yugoslav Airlines, now JAT Airways, has been training future airline transport pilots at Vršac (International) Airport.

The JAT Airways Flight Academy each year organizes the "Vršac Airshow".

The first international flight from Vršac Airport was to Podgorica Airport in Montenegro on February 5, 2007. The airport received international airport status after the Government of Serbia, made a decision to do so on December 28, 2006.

Airport services
JAT Airways Flight Academy
See full article: Jat Airways Flight Academy
Vršac Airport is one of the most recognised European training centres and is the home to the JAT Airways training centre.

JAT Flight Academy Vršac has its own programme based on over 50 years of experience in training pilots for commercial air transport. In its long tradition of pilot training, JAT Flight Academy has educated 70%+ of pilots flying today for the national air carrier - Jat Airways. The airport also includes a state of the art flight simulator system.

In October 2005 the Technical Department of JAT Flight Academy charged with maintaining aircraft at the Academy, received certification of conforming to European Union (JAA) standards in the maintenance of light aircraft - EASA part 145. The certification opens the possibility of maintaining aircraft for clients throughout Europe.

In 2007, Air India announced it will train some of its pilots at the JAT Airways flight academy.
Vršac Airport has trained many pilots from different airports over the years. This In 2007 the airport will be the training base for future pilots from India and China. Vršac Airport has also trained pilots from Air Algerie, Air Mali, Air Malta, Iraqi Airways, Libyan Arab Airlines, TAAG Angola Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

Maintenance
Light Aircraft Maintenance Centre in the Vršac Flight Academy possesses the EASA 145 Certificate necessary for maintaining and repairing smaller planes from the European Union. Aircraft from the fleet of the Greek business air carrier GAA - whose pilots have recently renewed their flying licenses in the institution - are also maintained in Vršac.

Reconstruction
Major improvements are planned for the Vršac International Airport in the following few years. The existing runway, now at 1,200 m long, will be lengthened to 1,800 m. Runway width will be increased to 30 m. There will be strengthening of the runway, taxiway and terminal platform, to allow aircraft up to 30 tonnes weight. City authorities hope once the reconstruction is completed, international charter airlines, as well as cargo (DHL) will utilize airport services.

Airlines and destinations
Air Pink (destinations per request)
Jat Airways AVIO taxi (Amsterdam, Athens, Brussels, Belgrade, Budapest, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Graz, Hanover, Istanbul, Larnaca, Malta, Milan, Munich, Odessa, Paris, Prague, Rome, Skopje, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Trieste, Tunis, Venice, Vienna, Warsaw, Zurich) [per request]
Prince Aviation (destinations per request)

See also
List of airports in Serbia
Sources
Jat Airways Flight Academy
Opština Vršac
Serbian Aeronautical Information Publication
Vršac airport information (PDF)
Airport information for LYVR at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.