The Doutor Leite Lopes State Airport, in Ribeirão Preto (SP), will receive R $ 88 million to improve the infrastructure of the passenger terminal, airstrip and aircraft courtyard. The agreement was signed on Thursday (24/8) by the Minister of Transport, Ports and Aviation (MT), Mauricio Quintella, and the governor of the state of São Paulo, Geraldo Alckmin, at an event held at the Palácio do Plateau. The bidding process and the start of works are scheduled for 2018.

The executive project will be contracted by the Air Department of the State of São Paulo (Daesp), also responsible for the execution of the works. Of the R $ 88 million, the federal government will pass on to the State R $ 80 million, the rest will be the responsibility of the São Paulo government. The release of the resources will happen according to the accomplishment of the steps predicted in the work plan.

Minister Mauricio Quintella details that the schedule provides for the projects to be prepared by Daesp by December of this year and from the first half of 2018 to carry out the bidding, hiring and beginning of the works. “Ribeirão Preto is an important economic and development pole of the region and, therefore, we need to make these investments, which will benefit four million people,” explained Quintella.

The project of the airport Leite Lopes will contemplate the expansion of the passenger terminal, which will increase from 3,600 m² to 12,000 m²; Extension of the section against fire, from 600 m² to 930 m²; Expansion in 30 thousand square meters of the aircraft yard; Resurfacing of runway and landing runway systems; And deployment of turnaround (aircraft turning area) at headwaters.

The airport is run by the São Paulo government and is the fourth largest terminal in the state, behind only Guarulhos, Congonhas and Viracopos. Leite Lopes operates general aviation (business) and regular flights from airlines such as Latam, Passaredo and Azul, which operate aircraft such as Airbus A320, E195, E 190, ATR 72.

In 2016, passenger traffic was 1.02 million. Already in the first half of 2017 were more than 446 thousand travelers, according to data from the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC). With the works, Leite Lopes will have its infrastructure expanded and modernized, that will guarantee more operational safety and more comfort to the passengers.

Photo: Reproduction