Maritsa Airport, Rhodes, was constructed in 1935 and it was the the main passenger, commercial and military airport of Italian occupation Dodecanese.
It took its name from the village in the region and is found as Maritza in Italian reports. Its real name was G. PESSI PARVIS by the Italian air ace of World War II who was killed in the Aegean, and the code of the airport was 801.
Maritsa Airport had a passenger station, storage sheds, aircraft technical maintenance and repair of aircraft and two kilometers of walkways and paved dirt. Accommodated all types of civil and military aircraft of the Italian aviation.
During World War II, it was bombed by British and Germans without any serious disasters thanks to anti-aircraft artillery that protected it.
After the conquest of Rhodes by Germans it was the main airport of Luftwaffe.
After the war, it became the main civil airport of Rhodes where the Dakota with the Greek Government in Mission Integration was landed.
Maritsa Airport was an international airport till March
1977. It has two runways 08/26 and 14/32 size 2400CH45 and 1200CH60 respectively, and a parking floor (apron), able to accommodate Heavy, Medium, and a dozen light aircrafts. Shortly after moving operations of the international airport “Diagoras” the operation of the airport has been taken by the Air Force.
Almost 95% of traffic is charged at a helicopter flying activity for aviation purposes and research / rescue type AS32 – Super Puma (2-10 movements per week). In recent years, the flight operation of the helicopter does not require the use of services and infrastructure of the airport, because it has independent facilities, qualified staff and heliport.
In case of forest fires, there are some CL215 Canadair. Finally, the Aero club of Rhodes has two light aircrafts in its fleet, based at bestowed by the Civil Aviation hangar in Maritsa. All the operations are organized in the airport “Diagoras”, because of excessive restrictions in terms of the Air Force. (Flights are allowed only during weekend)
History
1935: Construction of Maritsa Airport by Italians
1948: Grant airport in the Civil Aviation Authority,
1965: Landing of the first jet coming from Sweden
Source: rodosinfonews.com
