The opening of the Schengen airspace for Bulgaria and Romania was symbolically marked in the past weekends at Balchik Airport. The event was organized by the pilots of the two neighboring countries and was held under the title "Schengen check", BNR reported.
Balchik Airport showed some of its potential this past Saturday, hosting around 40 small planes that took off from Tuzla Airport in Romania.
Admitting the two neighboring Schengen countries by air enables aircraft under 5,700 kg to fly directly without the need to land at an international airport for border and customs checks, and this opens up many new opportunities, both for airport development and our tourism, pointed out the executive director of Sofia Airport, under whose management is also Balchik - Ivan Dimitriev.
"With the opening of the Schengen airspace, the connection becomes very easy. The capacity of the airport is practically unlimited. The area of the airport is so big that we can gather many planes to land. I expect this event to give an opportunity to hear about our airport, about our proximity to Romania, about the nice resorts, golf courses and other attractions, Kamen Bryag, which are very close to our airport, and for Romanian colleagues to use it daily, and for us to we are developing the airport as a reception point for small aviation."
The helicopter of one of Scorpions' guitarists and pilot Christian Becker was the first to land at Balchik airport.
"We have been waiting more than 10 years for this moment. I really love this place, and it's close to Romania."
To fly and see all the beauty below you is an incredible pleasure, shared Prof. Dimitar Raykov, who is also a pilot.
"The air didn't really separate us. We have always been one. Now that we are at ease on a purely documentary basis, it will be much easier for us. It is up to all of us to absorb this, accept it and enjoy it."
According to the executive director of KK "Albena" Krasimir Stanev, easy travel by air opens the doors for a new type of tourists in our country. According to him, there are about 85,000 small planes in Europe.
"They are our potential customers. Their number will only increase. I see them in 4-5 years for Albena and Primorsko, because we have a second airport there, we can count on between 100 and 300 planes to land."
The long-time pilot and member of the Management Board of the Association of Pilots and Aircraft Owners Yanko Stoimenov defined the acceptance of Bulgaria and Romania in the Schengen airspace as a historic event.
"For us, this is a historic moment. Practically a dream come true for us – to fly in European skies free, without borders. This is the primordial beginning of man – to fly, to feel free."
At the end of April, the same event will be held at Tuzla Airport in Romania.