AIRWAYS SPECIAL
6 7 The Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport was designed by Amir Mann-Ami Shinar Architects and Planners in partnership with Moshe Zur Architects . The Airport , servicing the Red Sea resort city of Eilat and surrounding region , was commissioned by the Israel Airport Authority ( IAA ) and was handled from A to Z by the architects in their role as Design Managers . Located in Timna , it is Israel ’ s first civil airport built from scratch . // ISRAEL NATIONAL PHOTO COLLECTION area . Despite the rerouting of planes approaching Haifa , many industry leaders have cautioned that surface-to-air missile ( SAM ) activity is still a threat . The IDF has confirmed that it will employ a conventional SAM system to shoot down any rocket launched toward Haifa from Gaza . This has led to concern that civilian planes could be hit .
Nonetheless , Israel has unequivocally stated that , should a missile be fired , air traffic controllers would have at least 90 seconds to revector any planes out of the area . In those 90 seconds , planes can travel over 10 miles .
Of chief concern is the sheer number of rockets being fired daily . Double the number of missiles have been fired than during the two-week conflict in May 2021 and the six-week hostilities in 2014 .
While it is not Israel ’ s intention to target civilian aircraft , many safety officials have said that keeping the air space open is nonetheless risky . Commercial planes could be shot down if misidentified . In July 2014 , a pro-Russian militia hit a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 , operating flight MH 17 between Amsterdam Schiphol and Kuala Lumpur , when flying over eastern Ukraine . Sadly , all 283 passengers and 15 crew members lost their lives .
Israel denies that misidentification is a significant risk factor in its airspace . The CAA says an interceptor could not target a civilian aircraft because , on a radar screen ,
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42 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE JUNE 2024 www . airwaysmag . com