27.07.2009 

Air Seychelles’s fifth Boeing aircraft landed at Seychelles’ international airport at Pointe Larue on Saturday, coinciding with the 20th anniversary yesterday of B767 aircraft operations by the national airline.

Soon after the arrival of the B767-300 Isle of Fregate from Budapest (Hungary), the Minister responsible for Transport, Joel Morgan, visited the new aircraft in the company of the airline’s executive chairman, captain David Savy, board directors, tourism and civil aviation officials.

The aircraft, manufactured in 1999, has been leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and was until recently on a short-term lease with the Hungarian national airline, Malev, and before that was operated since new by KLM.

Air Seychelles signed the three-year lease agreement with ILFC for the Isle of Fregate on May 31, 2009 and the national airline took delivery of the aircraft in Budapest on Friday.

Engineers from Air Seychelles and officials from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) carried out inspections for the airworthiness of the aircraft before signing the certificate of acceptance for registration with the SCAA.

The arrival of the aircraft on Saturday from Hungary was welcomed by the traditional water canon spray mounted by the airport fire services and was under the command of Captain Ralph Saminaden and First Officer John Rachel.

Reverend Christine Benoit from the Anglican Church and Deacon Louis Agathine from the Roman Catholic Mission blessed the aircraft soon after its arrival in the presence of the national airline’s management and airport staff.

Forrás: http://www.nation.sc/