BRIEF HISTORY OF THE KALOCSA AIRFIELD
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1951-1956
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Hungarian military airport, only the fighters of
the Hungarian Airforce used the airport and the airspace.
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1956-1990
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After the Hugarian trial to escape from communism,
the Soviets came into Hungary. The helicopters and bombers of the Soviet
Army used the airport and the airspace. The use of this airspace was strictly
forbidden for civil and sporting flying. This meant a forty-year-exile
for parachutist, power-driven and sailplane pilots and later for hang-
gliders and specialists. The aeroclubs of Szeged, Kiskunfélegyháza, Szolnok,
Budapest, ?csény and Baja admitted the lovers of airsports at and around
Kalocsa. Then, under the egis of MHSZ (Hungarian National Defence Association)
the aim of pilot and parachutist training was to provide specialist-supply
for the army. Although Kalocsa was practically deprived of its airport,
still it had many air sports enthusiasts as these trainings were free.
On László Kollár s own initiative a corporation agreement was signed in
1966 by the Headquarters of Soviet South Troops and by MHSZ, which made
it possible for Hungarian parachutists to bale out from Soviet helicopters
at the airport. In 1969 the Hungarian Parachutist Representative Team was
the guest of the Soviets, too. This possibility came to an end in 1971.
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The Soviets built barracks and blocks of flats near
the airport. Just a sin the case of other territories used by the Soviet
Army, after they leave of the troops very extensive environmental pollution
was discovered here, too.
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1990-1995
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After the withdrawal of Soviet troops the estimation
of damages and the stopping of soil pollution began. This later was terminated
by financial straits. The reorganisation of local airsport began through
the efforts of Bácska Hang-gliding Club, functioning in the area of Baja
and Kalocsa.
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Meanwhile, there were attempts to make use of the
airport mainly in the view of the 1996 World Fair. The very high initial
price and later the cancelling of the World Fair dashed the interest. There
were few airy offers but the airport remained a closed object without an
operational permit. The buildings and runway are under armed protection
and they are continuously being destroyed by weather conditions.
The hang-gliders of Bácska Aeroclub rented the
hangar and a few- hundred-meter long grassy area in the northern part of
the airport. This initiative meant the presence of flying at Kalocsa. They
established Flyers for Kalocsa Fund, and their aim was to help Kalocsa
and its environs progress by keeping at least this area. They offered the
police and the fire brigade their technology to help their work in the
fields of air observance and photography. Parachuting became more and more
popular at Kalocsa, nowadays there are more than thirty parachutists who
bale out regularly. Up to the present they belonged to Aeroclub Kiskunfélegyháza.
Besides the growth in the number of parachutists, their professional level
rose significantly, and they organised successful training camps with international
participation.
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An LRI (Aviation and Airport Management) survey was
carried out concerning Airport Kalocsa, which suggested the separation
of the barracks, the fuel storage, the airport area, and other buildings
and areas. This made it possible for sporting flyers to prepare their project.
The essence of the project is to use the airport in its original function
because that is how we can make a real use of it.
However, in May l995 a project was brought to
light according to which the airport would be converted into and used as
surface oil storage. There were rumours that a group would buy the airport
for this purpose. This would practically mean the end of the airport and
the ceasing of the region s chance for potential progress. At the same
time, the construction of such oil storage would be very dangerous for
the inhabitants of Kalocsa because of the prevailing northwestern wind
direction and the closeness of the densely inhabited areas. The devotees
of airsports would have been forced to a grassy area near the dumping ground
of Kalocsa which is not suitable for aeroplanes and parachutists. Naturally
it would not promote the progress of tourist industry and economy of the
region, either.
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In August 1995 the sporting flyers organised open
days and as the event was widely advertised, it became very successful.
This proved that with proper professional arrangements the conceptions
of using the airport by small planes are realistic. In connection with
the success of the event on 11th October 1995 a long-considered idea was
brought to life: AEROPORT KALOCSA Aeronautical Club (in exact translation,
the name is Aeroport Kalocsa Flyers Association) was formed. On 25th October
1995 Dr Heged?s Dezs?, the secretary general of MRSZ (Hungarian Aeronautical
Association) visited to Kalocsa. He outlined a new conception according
to which the establishing of National Flyers Fund" was under way and this
Fund would run Airport Kalocsa with the control of sporting flyers. On
the same day the Club held a press conference about the forming of itself,
its aims and about the importance of the airport. On this conference it
became evident that the three flyers organisations (the Club, the Bácska
Aeroclub and the Flyers for Kalocsa Fund) would take steps together in
the case of the airport through Aeroport Kalocsa Aeronautical Club and
with the support of MRSZ.At the end of October the proceedings necessary
for authorizing the airport and the collection of official licenses began.
The Association started its first sailplane pilot training. In November
the American representatives of IFOR Forces observed Airport Kalocsa as
an alternative aero serving base of a potential Baja depot. Instead of
Baja the IFOR chose Pécs, so this usage is not a real alternative in the
case of the airport. By December the management of the Club collected a
large number of supporting statements in the interest of putting the airport
into operation.
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1996-1997
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In the meantime the realization of National flyers
Fund significantly slowed down, and the case of the airport s privatization
got to ÁPV Rt. (the governmental organization to control the privatization
process in Hungary). Because of these reasons, the preparation of a project
became justified. This project suggests such a solution that serves regional
and national interests. Thanks to the efforts of the managing director
of the Club in February 1996 the airport obtained the temporary operational
permit. Between 1st- 11th March the Aeroport Kalocsa Flyers Association
organised a Flying-Parachuting Exhibition to arouse the public s attention
and to prove that the nearly hundred pilots and parachutists and their
intentions must be and can be taken seriously.
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1997-
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One of the villages (Uszod), mentioned above didn't
signed the temporary permission for this year. It means, that airfield
activity should be restricted to a part of the airport. It seems, that
the company payd some of the money to Uszod for the part now owned by the
village. This company is dealing with (store, buy and sell) not only oil,
but environmentally hazardous materials, like dangerous waste. There is
a civil initiative to prevent establishing a hazardous depot just next
to Kalocsa on the former airbase.
The Aeroport Kalocsa Aeronautical Club continues
its activity, organizes programmes on the part of the airfield belongs
to Kalocsa and Fokt?.
The local authorities and the mayors of Kalocsa
and Fokt? decided to establish an industrial park and invite investors
to the territory of the the former base. If the local authority of
village Uszod changes the decision and wouldn't sell its part to that company,
the airfield can be kept for flying besides the industrial park.
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Now it is the state of the art. Flyers will
never give up, they will continue flying even without the airfield. It
will be harder, but maybe there is a field somewhere appropriate for landing.
Only a part of the national treasure will be lost...