Seychelles Civil Aviation celebrates 40 years-President Michel unveils commemorative plaque |05 July 2011
It also marked 40 years since the first commercial jet, a British Overseas Airways Corporation airline (BOAC) Super VC10 landed at the airport.
President Michel interact with guests after he had unveiled the plaque (photo right)
Mr Michel unveiled the plaque in the presence of former President James Mancham and Vice-President Danny Faure.
President of the Court of Appeal Francis MacGregor and the Minister for Home Affairs, Environment, Transport and Energy Joel Morgan were also there, as well as other senior government officials and the chief executive of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority Gilbert Faure.
Other guests included Bong Kim Ping, former representative of Singapore on the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and Thierry Arekion, commercial director of British Airways Mauritius.
Crafted on the commemorative plaque is a piece of artistic work done by artist and sculptor Tom Bowers. The work, which took Mr Bowers two weeks to complete, shows a BOAC plane in the sky with clouds behind it and the sun and sea representing the Seychelles down below.
During the ceremony, Mr Bong and Mr Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, the first Seychelles air traffic controller, released some balloons to symbolise safe flying in our air space for these past 40 years.
Mr Morgan said after 40 years the civil aviation authority is looking to the future with much enthusiasm and optimism.
He said as Seychellois have seen in the Expo 2020 many exciting developments are on the horizon such as a modern and much bigger passenger terminal.
“There are also plans to expand the cargo facilities and a possible second runway to allow for more flight safety.”
He added that there will also be safer skies with new state-of-the-art technology to manage air traffic.
The ceremony ended with a toast by Mr Morgan and a cocktail.
Seychelles Nation will come back on the ceremony in a future issue.