Airport site selected the south of Costa Rica
"Article from the Costa Rican newspaper LA NACION, 29 March 2007"
The Government selected a site, 5 kilometers from Sierpe en Osa, Puntarenas, for construction of an International Airport. (25 minutes from Ojochal)
A study by the Civil Aviation Authority and international consultant Guillermo Alverez confirmed that lots 9 and 10 in Sierpe are obstacle free and that the ground is capable of supporting construction.
This study confirmed an earlier investigation carried out in 2005 by the Civil Aviation’s department of airports, that also selected these sites as suitable for the project, after looking at sites around PalmarSur Coto47.
Viviana Martin, President of the Consejo Tecnico de Aviacion Civil (CTAC), said that the lots belonged to the Instituto de Desarrollo Agrario (IDA) and that they will prepare an agreement to transfer the lots.
Martin confirmed that after ratification of the site and airspace, the Organizacion Internacional de Aviacion Civil (OACI) will develop an airport master plan.
This plan will establish the ability of the ground to accommodate the size of runway, necessary for the development of tourism.
As well in this plan, the CTAC will evaluate the environmental impact of the airport.
Project. The President of CTAC hopes to complete the Sierpe airport master plan by the end of this year. The plan will set out the work involved to construct the airport.
The Government has not decided if it should itself finance the new terminal and runway or draw up a tender for a private company to construct and administer the airport.
Martin said “Our objective is to have the new airport in operation before 2010”