New Friends of Malmi Airport

3 December 2004

The autumn meeting of Friends of Malmi Airport Society elected a new Board and a new Chairman. Kalevi Saari, Chairman since the founding of the Society, is retiring after a long distinguished service. The new Chairman for 2005 is Tero Auranen, who has previously acted as Chairman of Malmi Aviation Club and as the Vice Chairman of Friends of Malmi Airport Society since its founding. The other new members of the Board are Ossi Leander, Marko Tähtivaara, Jussi Paju and Rita Landén. Continuing as members of the Board are Raine Haikarainen, Seppo Sipilä, Erkki Mikola, Kauko Koskinen, Hilkka Saarinen, Matti Korjula and Pertti Nykänen. Retiring as members of the Board, in addition to Kalevi Saari, are Eino Savolainen and Seppo Mannermaa. The Society wishes to thank the retiring Chairman and members of the Board for their remarkable work to help save Malmi Airport.

At the autumn meeting, a bronze medal of the Finnish Aeronautical Association was presented to Raine Haikarainen, the Society's distinguished spokesman, to acknowledge his dedicated work to save Malmi Airport. The decoration is yet another token of national-level appreciation of the cultural-historical values of Malmi Airport and of the work done to preserve them.

On Friday 3 December at 2-3pm at the restaurant of Malmi Airport, an unveiling ceremony for invited members of the press will take place. Helsinki graphic artist Kimmo Pälikkö's color portrait of Malmi Airport will be made public, and the first numbered copy of twelve prints will be presented to the Civil Aviation Authority. Airport Chief Ari Sireeni will accept the print on behalf of Director General Mikko Talvitie. The portrait will also be available for purchase in smaller size, also as postcards, in Pälikkö's gallery in Helsinki. A part of the sales income will be donated to the Friends of Malmi Airport Society, to be used in the work to save Malmi Airport.

The Friends of Malmi Airport Society was founded in March 2002. It currently has over 800 members. The Society aims to secure the Airport's future at its present location and to develop, promote and support the prerequisites of the Airport's operation.

More information:

Erkki Mikola, secretary
email: sihteeri(at)pelastamalmi.org
tel. (+358) 50 3788394

http://www.pelastamalmi.org/en