Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

The total project to be completed by 2012 will help develop infrastructure facilities in the area while providing more direct and indirect employment opportunities for youth in the district. The project is an eco-friendly project.

Air passenger services are being provided under competitive rates through Mihin Air under a subsidized scheme to countries such as India, Maldives and Dubai.

In addition discussions are also under way to conduct airline crew tests and training facilities at Mattala bringing in additional revenue to the project.

Meanwhile, the BIA too is undergoing a major development drive to meet the projected future demands. (Air traffic facility is increasing annually by 10 percent.)

Under the development project it will help to accommodate the increasing air traffic demand. The Government hopes to invest Rs. 30,184 million for this project. This would include the construction of a passenger terminal building and airport parking apron, roads and multi-level car park, a power supply system, a water supply system and sewage treatment system.

Landing facilities to facilitate A 380 Aircraft too are to be expanded and the project is to be completed by 2012.

The Bandaranaike International Airport formally known as Colombo Airport was built by British in the mid 1940 s.

During the time the airport was called Royal Airport Katunayaka (RAK). The sole purpose of building this Airport by the British was to replace their lost airports in India, Pakistan and Nepal.

Primarily the airport was used as an air force base and supply centre for the aircraft engaged in World War II. After the independence (i.e. 1948) the Royal Ceylon Air Force was formed and they expanded their air power by establishing the headquarters at Katunayaka.

In 1983 the airport was renovated and expanded further to facilitate more passengers. These include new terminal building, Navigational Services Complex (NSC) and ICAO category III navigational equipment. These improvements to the airport had tremendously encouraged more civil aircraft to use it as a staging post to rest crews and passengers of aircraft in transits.

Since then major developments took place in the last three years with improvements to the VIP lounge, duty free and added many other infrastructure facilities.

Transit Hotel opens at BIA
Minister of Ports and Aviation, Chamal Rajapaksa declared open the newly constructed Transit Hotel Complex at the Bandaranaike International Airport recently.

This hotel complex consists of 24 rooms categorised into four types depending on the facilities provided. It also has facilities of a conference hall and spa. Passengers who arrive at BIA can now relax with comfort, refresh themselves and continue their journey.

Airport and Aviation Services Limited said that this project which facilitates the passengers travelling via BIA earns additional foreign exchange for the country too. The Minister inspected the ongoing development projects at the airport to see for himself the current status.

Domestic airports have a similar history which extends up to 70 years including the exceptional water runway of Koggala.

Today both Palali and Trincomalee domestic airports are being developed with regular scheduled flights already operating.

Air Lanka was set up by the Government of Sri Lanka in July 1979 following the closure of Air Ceylon in 1978. Initially, the new air carrier operated two Boeing 707 jets on lease from Singapore Airlines. During the 1980s, the Airline increased the number of destinations served and made additions to its fleet. By 1990, AirLanka served 26 destinations. In December 1992, the airline purchased its first Airbus A320.

Mihin Lanka commercial air services caters mainly to medium and low income travellers as well as those seeking employment overseas . Religious pilgrims are also catered to. Mihin Lanka currently flies to Dubai, Kuwait. Gaya, Trichi and Varanasi.

Capital Investment for the airline was Rs. 3,000 Million. Mihin Lanka carrying over 160,000 passengers so far have shown profits said CEO Kapila Chandrasena.

Commenting on the future plans of the airline he said that they would be bringing their second aircraft soon and it would fly to Dhaka and Male. We are also looking at Myanmar and more destinations in India, he said.

In addition, for the first time Sri Lanka s budget airline Mihin Lanka got involved in tourism promotion by flying in a group of over 50 travellers from Kuwait.

The up market group representing the Association of Academic Staff in applied Colleges, in Kuwait stayed for almost one week in Sri Lanka visiting Kandy and the South Coast.

Whether you are an ardent fan of classic cars, have an in-depth interest in all forms of air transport or even if you re more of a sports bike enthusiast, the Thomian Rail Air and Logistics Exhibition (TRALE) 2010 is clearly an event not to be missed.

TRALE 2010 organised by the Aeronautical Society, the Automobile Club, and the Model Railroad Club of St. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia partners with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) to put forward the only event of its kind, to be held at school level.

An assortment of exhibits related to the fields of aeronautics, maritime, automobile and railroad will be on display and it is evident that TRALE 2010 promises a wider spectrum for its audience at this year's exhibit.

Last year was our first TRALE and it s more enhanced this year. There will be more exhibits, more food and more entertainment, says Rehan Jeyaraj (19).



Visitors at the event will also have an opportunity to view a rail bus, while students themselves will exhibit items at stalls such as a model airport (complete with air traffic control towers and runways) and a railway layout designed and made by the students themselves.

The objectives of the exhibition include promoting transportation in Sri Lanka, promoting the clubs among the school and offering career guidance to anyone interested in careers in aviation, marine or other transportation fields displayed at the exhibition, explained Rohantha Jayawardene (19) elaborating that with food, beverages and entertainment organized the exhibition had something to offer for every member of the family. The event partner for TRALE 2010 is the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Platinum Sponsors for the event are 3M, and Bronze Sponsors are Janith Car Audio Official Transport partner for the exhibition is WSR Fernando and Co. Pvt. Ltd. Electronic Media Sponsors are MTV and MBC while the print media sponsor is the Sunday Times. Event Material is by Red Bull, Digital House and Yamuna Tours.

TRALE 2010 will be held from February 26 - 28, 2010 from 9.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. at the College Small Club Grounds. Tickets are priced at Rs. 50.

Women are beautiful and fragile. They are strong and brave too. Women can do things as good as men and even things that is difficult and risky.

This has been proved after seven women who took wings and landed safely last February 15, the day, that a new leaf was turned in the country's aviation history.

This is a fine example where girls' morale was used for a good cause at a time the LTTE brainwash innocent girls to motivate and forcibly use them to become suicide killers.

The young women in the MI17 Air Force helicopter did not take a leap backward. Sharp at 9.05 in that bright morning, Nayana Dilrukshi Hewawawasam took the historic jump from the helicopter at 1,200 metres high. The T 10 Bravo parachute brought her down gently and safely onto the middle of the Katunayake Air Force ground making her the first female paratrooper of the country, amidst the applause and cheers from the crowd.

The country's seven female paratroopers had their first jump at their passing out ceremony with their male counterparts - 10 airmen of the Air Force, two sailors from the Navy, five gunners from the Air Force Special Regiment and a doctor in the Air Force.

Since the recorded Andre-Jacques Garnerin jump from a hot-air balloon in 1797, parachuting has become a popular sport in many entertainment events locally and internationally.

But with deploying paratroopers in the second World War paratroopers were used in military activities, in emergencies, to destroy enemy camps and a mode of moving soldiers to battlefields. And in some countries the paratroopers have been used as forest fire-fighters.

Opened in 2004, the Parachuting Training School of the Air Force has produced 360 paratroopers upto now. While deploying them for various war related assignments, these paratroopers are mainly used in various military celebrations and national events and even represented the country at international parachuting events.

Now being trained to fly these brave women are not only ready to display their talents at ceremonies but are also brave enough to undertake any given task.

With joy and happiness, the female paratroopers Anoma Pathirana, Nirosha Kumarasena, Anuradha Senarath, Ranga Fernando, Irosha Rajapaksa, Nishadi Ranasinghe and Dilrukshi Hewawasam - who are stationed in Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Colombo respectively, said they clamoured to undergo training for years until the Air Force Commander, Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunatileke endorsed the parachuting course for females.

Twenty-seven-year-old-Dilrukshi is still the 'naughty one' of her parents - Nalini and Hewagamage, who recalled her mischievous acts when she was small. Turning down her request to join the Air Force her parents didn't realise then that she would become the country's first female paratrooper one day. They offered vows to Gods, to look after her life.

'I am so proud, proud about the whole team. We trained together and the dedication of the team, under good instructors have brought results ' Dilrukshi, a product of Nikaweratiya Central College said.

Recollecting her first jump at the Ampara Air Force Training Base, she said she was scared what would happen to her in the next minute but gradually it eased after the training.

We had a good sleep on 14 February and the whole team spent the day happily and we were confident about our mission and today, I do not feel any fear Female paratroopers were prominently deployed in fighting missions throughout 19th century and according to Squadron Leader Harish Herath the Commanding Officer (CO) of the Training School said that the seven female paratroopers were the pride of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

'This is a good opportunity to show the world that Sri Lankan women are highly talented and also brave enough to take any task', he said adding that training for girls the first time was very difficult.

According to CO Herath, only India boasted about female paratroopers earlier. He said Singapore, there were females who do parachuting but they are not in the military, and in Morocco and the United States there are female paratroopers.

In Afghanistan there are female paratroopers but they are US girls. This is a good event that indicates though we are a small country we are on par with the military of the other powerful countries, he said.

'It was really a challenge for both parties. It is lots of hard work and they have to do the ground training properly.

First we have to boost their morale. The ground training needs to be 100 percent accurate they need to follow the instructions carefully. Otherwise they can not jump from an aircraft with a speed of knots 120 per hour', he explained that 10 dedicated parachuting instructors at the school took extra effort to train these females.

The next milestone of these seven paratroopers is to jump 3,000 metres from the sky to become sky divers. According to CO Herath, training a girl is easy than a male as the latter always do not want to take any risk.

' Males always try to do experiments. But the girls do not move or come forward even an inch which the instructors say no. They are very obedient and also very clever. They are very loyal to their work and this make us easy to teach them', he said.

The marriage did not became a hindrance for them to take the challenge. Niroshi Kumarasena of Anuradhapura, who is in the Air Force for the last eight years first got the blessing of her husband who is also an airman.

Having a two and half-year-baby girl, she said, that from the day she enrolled to the Air Force she wanted to become a paratrooper. Ready to take any challenge, Nirosha early waiting the day they are allowed to do the sky diving course, where they have to jump from over 3,000 metres above the ground.

Echoing the same sentiment, Anoma Pathirana of Kirindiwela, a mother of a two-year-old baby, is also ready to take any task as their male counterparts.

To conclude the passing out four parachute instructors - Flight Lieutenants - S.M. Mangala Samarasinghe, Susil and Jagath and Sergent Dhanapala - displayed a colourful sky diving event 3,000 metres above the ground.

These seven paratroopers would bring fame to Sri Lanka as the first female sky divers in the entire South Asian region soon.

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A medical officer too has created a record as the country's first 'doctor- paratrooper'. Dr. Sampath Hewawasam, attached to the Katunayake Air Force medical unit, had always wanted to do something novel in his life and likes to take risks being a doctor himself.

'There was an incident where some soldiers died due to lack of medical treatment when the camp was totally surrounded by terrorists. As a doctor this motivated me to take to parachuting', he said.

Wing Commander Harish Herath of the Sri Lanka Air Force today became the first Sri Lankan and third South Asian to complete 1000 para jumps.

He arrived here on Sunday February 14. He attended the February 15 inauguration of DefExpo 2010, the biannual exhibition of land and naval defence systems that India hosts, the biggest military equipment show in South Asia.



Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony inaugurated the exhibition. Rajapaksa had an informal meeting with Antony.

On Thursday, he met National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar.

Rao hosted a working lunch for Rajapaksa and his team.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2010/02/21/main_Security.asp