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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Airbus to double U.S. spending by 2020


(Reuters) - Airbus, which last year paid $12 billion to U.S. suppliers of the parts and services it needs to build its planes, will double that spending by 2020 as it gears up to build a new plant in Mobile, Alabama.

Airbus Americas Chairman Allan McArtor will tell an educational summit in Los Angeles on Friday that the spending boost will result from company's planned $600 million plant to assemble its A320 short- and medium-distance planes.

Southern California is likely to be a big winner from the procurement, with a doubling of the $1 billion the aircraft maker, part of EADS (EAD.PA), spends in the region.

"LA has a good talent base and there's a lot of innovation going on here," McArtor said in an interview after attending groundbreaking ceremonies for the $80 million factory that Valencia, California-based Aerospace Dynamics International is building to supply large structural components of Airbus' next generation A350 extra-wide body aircraft.

To get the added work, however, the Airbus executive said southern California will need to become more competitive with other states and countries by improving its educational institutions to turn out skilled workers, engineers and others the aerospace industry will demand.

"We have to make it attractive here so that the brightest kids don't go to private equity firms,"

McArtor said. "If they can't improve the business climate here, then southern California may lose out to South Carolina, Texas or somewhere else."

By 2015 Airbus expects to have 13 daily flights by carriers flying its A380 aircraft to Los Angeles International Airport.

That equates to $9.4 billion in added economic activity in tourism and other services, Airbus said, making calculations based on a 2007 study by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp.
The flights would add an estimated 3,900 jobs in the region.

Airbus, which spends more than 40 percent of its procurement budget on U.S.-based suppliers, projects annual growth in air travel will more than double over the next 20 years.

By 2031, McArtor estimated 32,550 airplanes will be in service, up from 15,550 today.

By then, China will pass the United States as the largest market for air travel, the executive said, and will account for 35 percent of all newly delivered aircraft. North America and Europe will each account for 21 percent.

Singapore Airlines in $7.5 billion Airbus deal


(Reuters) - Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI) will order five Airbus A380 aircraft and 20 more A350 planes in a deal valued at $7.5 billion, looking beyond a business slowdown that has led the carrier to stop hiring cadet pilots for now.

"This major order will provide us with additional growth opportunities and is consistent with our longstanding policy of maintaining a young and modern fleet," SIA's chief executive, Goh Choon Phong, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The order also reflected the Singapore flag carrier's confidence in the strength of the market for premium full-service travel, he added.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) said last week that the number of passengers flying on first and business class rose 8.5 percent in August from a year ago.

SIA is facing increased competition from Middle Eastern carriers such as Emirates EMIRA.UL on longer routes at a time when passengers in the West have become more cost-conscious.

The Singapore carrier has frozen cadet-pilot recruitment and cut flying hours for junior pilots, the Straits Times newspaper reported earlier this week.

SIA operates 19 A380-800 superjumbos and already has firm orders in place for 20 A350s. Deliveries of the new Airbus (EAD.PA) planes, which have a list price of $7.5 billion, are due to begin in 2017.

Hints of the SIA-Airbus deal emerged on Tuesday when French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who has just returned from a business trip to Singapore and the Philippines, told Airbus workers their company had signed an order for 15 aircraft and taken options for the A350 and possibly the A380.

SIA said that as part of its deal with Airbus, the European aircraft maker will buy back five A340-500s, which will be removed from service in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The withdrawal of the A340-500s will result in the end of non-stop flights between Singapore and Los Angeles and between Singapore and Newark. The Newark service, which connects Singapore to New York in 19 hours, is an all business-class flight and one of the world's longest scheduled service.

In a separate statement on Wednesday, SIA's long-haul low-cost unit Scoot said it agreed to acquire 20 Boeing 787 aircraft for delivery starting in 2014. The 787s were originally ordered by SIA, Scoot said.

The B787 aircraft will replace Scoot's Boeing 777-200 fleet and help its ongoing expansion, the low-cost carrier said.

Boeing Sees Hurdles Next Year After 2012 Forecast Boosts

Boeing Co. (BA), which has boosted its 2012 profit forecast three times as commercial and military aircraft sales rose, said it expects challenges next year that include a tougher defense market and higher pension expense.

The projected $3.5 billion in pension expense next year will be about $1 billion more than this year’s, the planemaker said today. The defense unit, source of more than 40 percent of total sales last year, is bracing for cuts in Pentagon spending, according to Boeing, which won’t forecast 2013 performance until January.


Those obstacles may temper sales growth from commercial- plane deliveries as Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney takes advantage of a $307 billion backlog, bolstered by airlines seeking to trim fuel expenses with more efficient aircraft. Boeing is increasing the division’s output by 60 percent in the four years through 2014.

The non-cash pension expense is about $500 million higher than Barclays Plc had projected and “will weigh on consensus estimates more than we originally expected,” Carter Copeland, a New York-based analyst, said in a note to clients after the company’s third-quarter earnings report. “We expect this to be the central push-back point on an otherwise strong quarter.”

The expense may prompt a reset of 2013 earnings projections, said JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Joe Nadol, who called it “a whopper.” Higher pension costs have also weighed on earnings this year, lowering third-quarter profit by $194 million.

Voluntary Payments

Boeing Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith said the company plans to make voluntary cash pension contributions next year “to proactively manage our liability and expense.” This year’s voluntary payment was $1.5 billion. Smith said his top priority is to return cash to shareholders, and he will give an update on share repurchase plans by the end of the year.

Free cash flow in the quarter was $1.17 billion, up from $69 million a year earlier, Chicago-based Boeing said in a statement. The company increased its outlook for operating cash flow this year by $500 million, to more than $5.5 billion.

Earnings in 2012 will be $4.80 to $4.95 a share, Boeing said, a projection that exceeds the $4.70 average estimate of 29 analysts in a Bloomberg survey. Third-quarter sales rose 13 percent to $20 billion as shipments of aircraft and equipment to customers climbed 28 percent.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes, which accounted for more than half of 2011 sales, is responding to what McNerney termed a “dramatic” replacement cycle, with airlines trying to reduce fuel costs by investing in new planes.

Commercial Backlog

The commercial-jet backlog rose 2.5 percent last quarter and now stands at 4,100 airplanes valued at more than eight times the unit’s revenue last year.

In the defense business, McNerney warned on an earnings call that 2013 would be a challenge because of this year’s “unusual strength” in sales to foreign militaries and because of the threat of sequestration, the $500 billion in automatic U.S. defense cuts slated to go into effect unless lawmakers agree on an alternative deficit-reduction plan.

Boeing fell 0.2 percent to $72.71 at the close of trading in New York. The shares previously dropped less than 1 percent this year, trailing a 12 percent gain in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

The company delivered 149 commercial jets and 50 military aircraft, helicopters and satellites in the three months through September.

Third-quarter net income at Chicago-based Boeing fell 6 percent to $1.03 billion, or $1.35 a share, from $1.1 billion, or $1.46, a year earlier. That beat the average of 25 analysts’ forecasts for $1.12 a share.

Higher Margins

“With no major execution issues this quarter, operating margins came in comfortably ahead of our expectations,” Rob Stallard, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets in London, wrote in a note, keeping his neutral rating on the shares. Operating margin in the commercial-planes business fell 1.9 points to 9.5 percent in that period, while remaining steady at 9.9 percent for the year through September.

Boeing said it still expects total airliner deliveries to rise to 585 to 600 this year after 436 in the first nine months. The company plans to deliver more 777s, 787s and 737s next year. Carriers pay about 60 percent of the price of a plane in installments leading up to delivery, and the rest when they pick up the jet.

Airbus SAS, which had delivered more planes than Boeing every year since 2003, handed over just 405 through September and has forecast 570 for the full year.

Jetliner Deliveries

Boeing reiterated that it will deliver 70 to 85 of the new wide-body 787s and 747-8s this year, split about evenly between them. The company expects more orders by year-end for both the passenger and freighter versions of the 747-8, which entered service a year ago, McNerney said.

The higher deliveries last quarter pushed the commercial unit’s sales up 28 percent to $12.2 billion. Earnings rose 6 percent to $1.15 billion, reflecting dilution from the lower- margin 747-8 and 787 Dreamliner, which was delivered to its initial customer in 2011 after more than three years of delays.

Boeing’s defense business tripled the number of Chinook transport helicopters it delivered to 18, and handed over 10 Apache attack helicopters in the period compared with none a year earlier. Deliveries for other programs declined, and shipments of F-15 fighter jets dropped to zero.

Defense revenue fell 4 percent to $7.84 billion as deliveries of less-costly aircraft increased, and operating profit grew less than 1 percent to $827 million. The defense unit’s margin rose by half a point to 10.5 percent.

The margin growth is consistent with companies across the industry as contractors including Boeing focus on cost reduction ahead of the Pentagon’s expected budget cuts, wrote Douglas Harned, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. in New York who rates the stock outperform.

Boeing is repositioning its military business and focusing on getting 30 percent of revenue from abroad in the near future, McNerney said. That would be up from 24 percent last year.

Did French Prime Minister Accidentally Reveal Big Airbus Order?

Airbus parent EADS, whose merger talks with BAE Systems leaked to the press in the summer, may find more of its business subject to accidental early disclosure - this time by the French prime minister.
Airbus
Getty Images

Jean-Marc Ayrault, who has just returned from Singapore and Philippines to help drum up business for French companies, told Airbus workers his trip had highlighted the importance of remaining competitive on world export markets.

But departing from a prepared speech for the opening of a new Airbus factory in southwest France, Ayrault then referred to billions of dollars of plane orders that did not appear to correspond to business already announced from those countries.

"I would like to add that during this trip, Airbus signed an order for 15 aircraft and took options for the A350 and possibly the A380," Ayrault told an audience of 1,000 staff and media.

The expressions of Airbus executives at the event gave nothing away, but aerospace industry watchers have said Singapore Airlines is among a number of top carriers seen as candidates to consider fresh orders for long-haul jets.

Such deals are sure to grab industry attention because a battle between Airbus and Boeing over the lucrative "mini-jumbo" market for large twin-engined jets has reached a crucial phase.

Airbus is looking to bag a high-profile endorsement for its A350-1000 long-range jet, while Boeing is pondering upgrades for its 777 airliner which is enjoying record sales.

During Ayrault's trip, Philippine Airlines confirmed an order for 10 Airbus A330 jets on top of a purchase in the summer. An official in the French prime minister's office said his comments alluded to this latest purchase "and nothing else."

An official government transcript of his comments confirmed the wider reference to potential A350 and A380 orders.

Airbus declined comment. Neither the Singapore nor Philippine carriers were immediately available for comment.

Ayrault was speaking as Airbus inaugurated a factory for the A350 in the latest chapter of its rivalry with U.S. planemaker Boeing.

Airbus hopes to boost sales of the A350-1000, the largest variant due to seat 350 people. A four-year drought ended when Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific placed an order for the airplane and upgraded 16 orders for smaller A350-900s in July.

Armed with Cathay's endorsement, Airbus is widely expected to target other standard-bearers including Singapore Airlines and major Western carriers that might be ripe for an upgrade to the larger model or a brand-new order. Singapore Airlines already has 20 A350-900s on order.

"They're big 777 users, and anything that indicated a pattern of 777-300ER migration towards the A350-1000 would be a big wake up call for Boeing," said analyst Richard Aboulafia.

The 777-3000ER is the most recent version of Boeing's most profitable aircraft and sells for $298 million apiece.

The A350-1000 is worth $321 million at list prices.

Airbus says the lightweight carbon-composite aircraft will beat the 777 on efficiency, but will not be available before late-decade. Airbus plans to increase output of the largest A350 to try to break Boeing's firm hold on the mini-jumbo market.

Influential aircraft lessor Steven Udvar-Hazy, founder of Air Lease Corp, urged Airbus to focus on this model.

"We are trying to persuade Airbus to de-emphasize the A350-800 in favor of the A350-1000," he told Reuters.

For its part, Boeing wants to persuade major customers like Singapore to keep ordering the current 777-300ER or else wait for a possible upgrade around the turn of the decade. Airlines such as Emirates have pressed it to firm up the design plans.

Airline sources say the U.S. planemaker is holding a summit of carriers next week to discuss their large-jet requirements.

Boeing declined to comment on the meeting.

"We schedule a series of meetings with customers to discuss twin-aisle airplanes, including our existing product line and future development options," a spokesman said by email.

"We are always talking with our customers about their fleet requirements, and per Boeing policy, do not discuss details".

SIA Places Large Order For Airbus Widebodies

October 24, 2012
 
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has revealed an order for five more Airbus A380s and another 20 Airbus A350-900s, stressing that the move reflects its confidence in the future of premium air travel.

Prior to today’s announcement SIA had 20 A350-900s on order, so the new order increases the total to 40. Delivery of its first A350 is due in 2015. SIA already operates 19 A380s, but had none left on order backlog. It says deliveries of the new five will start in 2017.

The Star Alliance carrier has also disclosed that the 20 Boeing 787-9s it already had on firm order, for delivery from 2014, will be assigned to its medium-haul low-cost carrier Scoot.

“As part of the [new] deal, Airbus has agreed to acquire SIA’s five A340-500s, which will be removed from service in 2013’s fourth quarter,” the carrier says. This means it is cutting its non-stop services to Los Angeles and New York Newark. The airline says the decision to axe the A340-500s is in line with its “policy of maintaining a young fleet.” The Aviation Week Intelligence Network shows that the SIA A340-500s are nearly nine years old.

It is widely known in the industry that SIA’s A340-500 non-stop flights to the U.S. are unprofitable, because of the four-engined aircraft’s higher fuel burn. Some SIA executives were also questioning why the carrier was going to the trouble of maintaining such a small fleet of A340s.

The decision to stop flying non-stop to the U.S. is disappointing, but “we remain committed to the U.S. market,” SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong says. “Over the past two years we have increased capacity to both Los Angeles and New York by deploying A380s on flights via Frankfurt and Tokyo.”

SIA’s fleet of 777-200ERs is actually older than its A340s. The Aviation Week Intelligence Network shows the 34 aircraft are about 11 years old on average. The A350-900s will replace some of the 777-200ERs. The airline has already phased out some of its -200ERs by placing the aircraft with Scoot or leasing them to Royal Brunei Airlines.

New Inspections Ordered For A380 Trent 900s

October 23, 2012
 
Operators of Rolls-Royce Trent 900-powered Airbus A380s have been instructed to inspect, and if necessary replace, parts of seals around the low pressure turbine (LPT) following damage to an engine caused by vibration.

An airworthiness directive issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) says that the condition, if not corrected, could lead to cracking developing in the engine’s LPT second stage, “possibly resulting in an uncontained engine failure and subsequent damage to the aircraft.”

The issue, which is not related to the oil-system problems that led to the uncontained failure of a Trent 900 on a Qantas Airways A380 in Singapore in 2010, was uncovered when debris was found in the tailpipe of an engine that had experienced increased vibration during a revenue flight.

The inspection revealed the turbine disc had lost material from part of the interstage seal, sending parts into the downstream LPT stages. Preliminary findings indicate that fins on the interstage seal had “rubbed into the stage 2 honeycomb seal, which overheated and cracked, finally resulting in releasing a portion of the ISS (interstage seal) area of the disc.”

The AD, which is effective as of Nov. 5, says inspections must be conducted within 10 flights if an engine health monitoring system picks up vibration levels that exceed the preset alert limits.

In August, EASA issued an AD calling for inspections and replacement if needed of the Trent 900 LPT shaft and bearing housing end cover. The action followed an in-flight turn back which resulted from the seizing up of the low pressure system in one of the A380’s engines. The fault was traced to oil starvation of the bearings caused by a fracture in an oil transfer tube. It had fractured because a support piece was missing.

Airbus Opens A350 Final Assembly Line

Airbus is trying to reassure suppliers and customers that its A350XWB remains on track for first flight in the summer of 2013. The aircraft manufacturer officially opened the A350 final assembly line on Tuesday alongside a two-day supplier conference. “Our message is: the program is on plan and the upcoming major milestones will be on plan, too,” Airbus Chief Operating Officer Guenther Butschek said.

Two issues surrounding the program had been noticed with concerns amongst suppliers: Airbus’ decision to introduce weight improvements and changes in several batches, which leads to extra work and some performance shortfalls for early models, and the recent wing drilling troubles that have led to some delays for later aircraft, although not the MSN1. A350 program chief Didier Evrard told suppliers that introducing the aircraft in batches was a normal process.

Airbus has attached the wings to the first A350 fuselage, MSN5000, which will be used as the fatigue test aircraft. The aircraft is currently placed in one of the two stations (40) that are dedicated to wing-body-joining work. Adjacent to it, the fuselage of MSN1 is at station 50. One of the wings for MSN1 has arrived and is in the final assembly hangar next to the fuselage. The other wing is expected to arrive by the end of October.

According to Evrard, Airbus has built a total of five wings using a manual process after it has turned out that software glitches in the automatic process were causing delays. Those wings were intended for MSN5000 and MSN1. A fifth wing is currently at IABG to perform initial load testing ahead of the actual fatigue tests that will happen using MSN5000 in Toulouse.

Evrard says the software issues caused initial automatic drilling to take around 2-3 months per wing, when it was supposed to have lasted only one month. But for MSN3, the next aircraft in the assembly process, the automatic drilling process is “back on target” and Airbus has already progressively reduced the manual work.

Evrard also points out that at least the initial two flight test aircraft will be kept at Airbus and no decision has been made whether to keep MSN2 and MSN4, the subsequent aircraft. Airbus plans to assemble two aircraft this year and start producing a third before the end of the year. In the second half of 2013, the manufacturer is aiming for a production rate of one aircraft per month. “Ramping up production will be crucial,” Evrard says.

Airbus is understood to roll out the first A350 (MSN1) in April, the company has not specified in detail when the aircraft will make its first flight, other than saying it expects to reach that milestone next summer.

Work is progressing on a second assembly hall that will allow Airbus to increase production rates from 2014. Initial assembly is performed in one hall that includes four stations, three of which are duplicated. Once the additional building is completed, station 30 (for systems testing and cabin installation) will move over. A total of four station 30s will be available.

Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier indicates that Airbus might raise production of the A350-1000, the largest of the three planned A350 versions. “We expected around 40-50 aircraft per year, but we will be much better than that.” If that decision was made, Airbus would have to also invest more into dedicated A350-1000 facilities. Bregier insists that Airbus will build all three planned versions, even though he concedes that customers have “less appetite for the -800”, the smallest variant.

“The market will slightly move to bigger aircraft. But we are observing that trend with other models, too.”

Germany’s decision to withhold payment of around €500 million in refundable loans will not cause any delays and put the program at risk, Bregier says. However, getting the government-backed financing would be a way for Airbus to rule out risk, even if it comes at higher than usual interest rates.

 Germany is the only one of the Airbus countries (including France, U.K. and Spain) that has not gone ahead with the support yet. The government wants further assurances about the German workshare in the A350 and has concerns that German sites might lose out in the long term.

Airbus Wins A380 Order as Original Customer Singapore Tops Up

Airbus SAS secured an order for five additional A380 superjumbos from Singapore Airlines Ltd., the first carrier to fly the double decker, in a much-needed vote of confidence after trailing a sales target this year.

The order for the aircraft, with a combined list price of about $2 billion, is part of a broader purchase by the Asian carrier. Singapore said today it is also adding 20 A350-900s to double its fleet of the long-range jet. The A350 is the European planemaker’s newest wide-body model and is undergoing final assembly for entry into service in late 2014.

Airbus has struggled to win orders this year for its A380 flagship model, hurt by an economic slump and as cracks appeared in wing components that will require eight weeks for repairs. The only order this year so far was from Russia’s OAO Transaero Airlines, leaving the manufacturer trailing a target of selling 30 units to customers in 2012.

“It’s clearly a good sign if Singapore comes back, because they are quite a demanding customer,” said Zafar Khan, an analyst at Societe Generale in London who has a “buy” rating on the shares of Airbus parent European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co.

Other customers that have come back with additional orders include Deutsche Lufthansa AG, which added two more A380s in September 2011 to an existing order for 12. Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia’s largest airline, in 2006 added eight more A380s to an original order for 12 and Emirates ordered 32 more in 2010 to bring its total order book to 90.

Singapore started flying the A380 in 2007. The carrier offers the aircraft in a three-seat configuration, with first- class passengers enjoying amenities including a closed-off cabin that comes with a full-size bed and flatscreen televisions.

The A380, which typically seats about 520 passengers on two decks, is Airbus’s response to Boeing Co. (BA)’s 747 jumbo. That plane’s latest variant, the 747-8, has also failed to sustain the momentum of earlier versions.

The A380 costs about $389.9 million, though customers typically get discounts.
Airbus has delivered 20 A380s so far this year, and would need to hand over 10 more to reach its annual target. The company has delivered 87 A380s to customers so far.

A350 Wing Sub-Assembly Ramps Up At New GKN Site

October 22, 2012
 
Guy Norris Bristol, England

With the wing of the Airbus A350 already under close scrutiny before the first flying example has been put together, key suppliers are focusing more than ever on a steady production ramp-up and delivering to specification.

Despite the news earlier this year of delays to the delivery of wings for the first flight-test aircraft, as well as for the fatigue-test article, major A350 wing sub-assembly suppliers continue to accelerate their production processes. Although development issues with automatic drilling machines have been fixed, Airbus has acknowledged an expected related delay of around three months to first deliveries of the initial A350-900s in early 2014.

The European manufacturer is therefore looking to its complex supply chain for even sharper performance as it seeks to smooth out any remaining kinks in its production system. GKN Aerospace, which is responsible for the A350 aft composite spar and fixed trailing edge, has a pivotal role in the production flow, as it perfects new assembly concepts in a £170 million ($274 million) purpose-built fully automated facility near Bristol.

Five complete A350 wing sets, including static and fatigue units, have so far been delivered from GKN's Western Approach plant to Airbus UK's wing final assembly facility at Broughton, North Wales, where the complete wing is integrated. The company took over the lease for the site, originally designed to be a distribution center, in April 2009. “When GKN acquired the facility, it was an empty shell,” says Vice President Steve Colebrook, who adds that “we broke ground in May 2009 and laid foundations in July that year.”

The initiative traces its roots to 2008, when GKN launched an aggressive growth plan for its aerostructures work by acquiring Airbus UK's wing component manufacturing and assemblies operation in nearby Filton for £136 million. “It was aimed at keeping the wing center of excellence in the U.K.,” says Colebrook. “The A350 was originally due to be housed within that but because of its size and magnitude it was moved here.”

Currently employing almost 270, the workforce at the Western Approaches facility is expected to grow by another 60 or more as the rate increases on the A350 as well as for the composite wing on the A400M military airlifter, major sections of which are also manufactured here.

The facility is made up of two main buildings, one of which is a climate-controlled, clean room area for the layup and fabrication of the large-scale composite structures, and the other an “industrial area” where the assemblies are completed. Although the composite manufacturing area is state-of-the-art with advanced automated fiber-placement (AFP) machines for the A350 and conventional automatic tape-laying for the A400M, it is in the assembly building where most of the production innovations are to be seen.

“This industrialization was a first for GKN,” says Colebrook. “Normally you'd take the spar to a jig, then take it out and continue to the next jig until it is built. With this one, the spar is loaded and locked into a bespoke jig. Then the jig moves down from station to station to hold the highest level of tolerance before we take it out and pop it into a final turn-over jig to deliver it to Airbus.”

“The key tolerance is the hinge line of the trailing edge,” says value stream manager Mark Howard. “We're making it to within +/- 0.15 mm [0.006 in.] over a roughly 30-meter-long [98-ft.] assembly,” he adds.

 Each of the two wings in the shipset is made up of three components; an inner, mid and outer spar section. Mounted on specially designed manually guided vehicles, the jigs containing the individual spar sections are picked up and moved through the production process. By bringing jigs to the machines, rather than the other way around, GKN is also reducing the amount of capital equipment required for the line, says Howard. Instead of four sets of static jigs per wing, “here we have just three, and two robots,” he adds.

The three sections combine to produce a trailing edge assembly 27 meters long and weighing about 1,800 kg (3,968 lb.) of which around 1,230 kg is made up of the carbon composite spar section. The inboard spar section, measuring 7.5 meters, weighs the most as it includes the spar root and attachment point for the main landing gear.

Composite laminates made up of a Hexcel pre-impregnated carbon/epoxy are “up to 25-mm thick at the deepest end around the wing root and landing gear pivot fitting, and thinner, just under 5 mm, at wingtips,” says chief engineer Clint Diffin.

Assembly of each section begins when five-axis AFP machines, made by M. Torres of Spain, wind composite tows from up to 16 bobbins onto a Cytec-made rotating composite mandrel. The machine is programmed to lay varying thicknesses to tailor the structure for stress requirements and provide foundations for parts such as rib attachment points along the spar.

“When we're at full rate production we will be up to 13 wingsets per month and using up to 20 tons of [Hexcel] composite material per month,” adds Diffin. Three AFP machines are in place, with a fourth in development.

“The A350 inner spar is the thickest we build. It undergoes a hard structural cure and is then prepared for the addition of sacrificial material before being cured again in a secondary cure. This gives us the opportunity to make sure the girth height is correct,” says Diffin, who explains the AFP process was adopted over tape laying because of the higher assembly rates and more complex shaping of the A350 wing.

Left and right spars are laid up simultaneously on the mandrel in a process that takes up to eight 24-hr. working days. The units are then “de-bulked” to remove any trapped air, and inspected. Advances made in the performance of machines and controls during the initial batch of wing shipsets means that less time will be required in future for this process, adds Diffin.

The formed parts are loaded onto an Invar tool for curing in the autoclave. A second autoclave is about to be commissioned as the rate rises. Once cured, parts go into one of two five-axis composite machining tools which combine waterjet and conventional cutting devices before undergoing non-destructive testing for porosity or inclusions. A third tool will be installed by the end of 2014 to match production demand.

The spars are then painted with primer, and metal rib posts are added before completion with trailing edge gear and flap fittings.

Three more wingsets are scheduled for delivery to Airbus UK by the end of the year.

Airbus advances towards first flight of A350 twinjet

Airbus has resolved the issues with the automated drilling process used to produce wings for the in-development A350 at its Broughton, UK factory.

The problems, caused by systems that were not properly optimised, had seen the airframer revert to manual drilling on the first two shipsets.

But Didier Everard, A350 programme manager, says those glitches are now behind it and the automated process has recommenced.

The wings for aircraft MSN3 are "almost finished" at Broughton and wing production is back at its target rate, he said at an event in Toulouse to mark the inauguration of the A350 final assembly line.

A350 ceremony Airbus
 Airbus  
Everard remains confident that the first flight of the twinjet - to be performed by fight test aircraft MSN1 - will take place in mid-2013, but he concedes problems could occur that would delay the maiden sortie.

Five aircraft will participate in the flight test campaign. Three will fly without cabins installed, while MSN2 and MSN5 will be used to test the interior systems.

Rolls-Royce has begun production of the first Trent XWB engines for the flight test aircraft, having already built 10 development powerplants, says Everard.

One of these has been in use on the airframer's A380 flying testbed where it has accumulated 144h in the air and a further 208h in ground tests.

Concerns had been raised by customers of the largest variant, the -1000, that it was overweight and underpowered. Everard says R-R has identified the modifications required to reach the increased 97,000lb thrust mandated by Airbus. This will be achieved through "technology insertion" to allow higher temperatures in the hot section and a larger core.

Although customer concerns remain, some have been mollified. Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman of lessor ALC, says: "That's still to be seen as far as the weight of the aircraft is concerned. But in the briefings over the last 24 hours it's clear they understand the concerns and are addressing those issues and if necessary Rolls-Royce will have make sure there's a little extra power.

"They understand what the issues are and where they have to be and are on top of things, particularly in terms of weight control."

Airbus is placing most emphasis on the -900 and -1000 variants of the A350, amid continuing weakness in the backlog for the -800, the smallest aircraft in the family.

Although Airbus envisages the -800 being the second model produced, due to enter service in mid-2016, Everard says there is still flexibility in its schedule to advance the -1000 from its entry-into-service date of mid-2017 if required. "The sequence may change depending on the market if there is increasing demand for the -900 and -1000."

However, he says there is no risk of its cancellation "for the time being".

The A350-900 is due to enter service in mid-2014 with launch customer Qatar Airways.

FedEx to build Shanghai Pudong hub

FedEx plans to invest more than $100 million to establish a hub at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).

FedEx is the third international air express operator to establish a hub at PVG. UPS did so in December 2008 and DHL has established its North Asia hub at PVG.

FedEx’s hub is expected to begin operations in 2017 on a 134,000 square meter site with the capacity to handle up to 36,000 parcels and documents per hour. The facility’s annual sort capability is expected to reach more than 90 million parcels and documents.

FedEx noted in a statement that it will gradually expand its flight frequencies and cargo turnover at PVG to meet growing market demands. Today, it operates 68 weekly flights at PVG.

“Shanghai is one of the fastest-growing economies in China with foreign trade playing a significant role. The new FedEx hub will allow our customers in Shanghai and East China to benefit from these increasing trade flows,” FedEx Asia Pacific president David Cunningham said.

FedEx announced a $1.7 billion profitability improvement plan earlier this month (ATW Daily News, Oct. 10).

Boeing sees $820 billion commercial aircraft market in North America through 2031

Boeing said North American airlines will take delivery of 7,290 aircraft valued at $820 billion through 2031.

In a market forecast presented this week, the manufacturer said the North American commercial fleet will grow from 6,650 aircraft currently to about 8,830 by 2031 (including aircraft retirements).

Boeing Commercial Airplanes VP-marketing Randy Tinseth said, “The long-term outlook for the North American airline industry is approximately 3% annual traffic growth through the forecast period. The market is shaped by aggressive growth of low-cost carriers and the need to replace aging airplanes in the fleets of the established network carriers.”

The manufacturer predicted mainline North American carriers will “maintain strict capacity discipline. Low-cost carriers will continue to outpace network carrier growth to accommodate increased demand and fill some markets abandoned by network carriers.”

Boeing said narrowbody aircraft will comprise 69% of the North American fleet by 2031.

Long-haul international traffic to/from North America will grow at around 5% annually, outpacing the overall pace of growth in the region, Boeing predicted. “The international growth is primarily driven by anticipated passenger traffic to Southwest Asia, China, the Middle East, Africa and South America,” the manufacturer stated. “Passenger traffic between North America and those regions is forecasted grow at or above 6% per year.”

This will require 1,320 new widebody aircraft for North American airlines over the next two decades, Boeing said. However, just 40 of these aircraft will be in the 747-size and larger range, it added.

Boeing noted that the continent’s airlines are operating more cautiously than in the past. “In response to market pressures, airlines are deploying capacity more strategically to help boost yields and cover higher fuel expenses,” it said. “Airlines are optimizing airplane utilization more closely to seasonal demand fluctuations, and passenger load factors remain near historic highs. The number of new-generation airplanes in the parked fleet remains low, indicating that airlines are shifting utilization to their most efficient assets.”

Finnair hails record buoyant 3Q, launches further cost cuts

Finnair (AY) has reported a third-quarter net income of €50.8 million ($65.9 million), up more than 200% from a €1.9 million profit reported in the year-ago period. The airline said these best-ever results were largely attributable to increased turnover, a high load factor, improved unit revenue, and cost cutting.

Turnover rose 7.1% to €650.3 million for the quarter, while expenses increased 3.3% to €603.5 million, producing an operating profit of €48.9 million, up 77.2% from a €27.6 million operating profit in the prior-year quarter.

Traffic rose 8.6% to 6.35 billion RPKs on a 3.4% increase in capacity to 7.81 billion ASKs, producing a load factor of 67.5%, up 3.2 points.

Yield rose 2.3% to 7.54 euro cents, as RASK increased 7.8% to 6.93 cents and CASM increased 6.1% to 6.60 cents. CASK ex-fuel was 4.43 cents, down 1.1%.

"This is the best quarterly result in Finnair's history. The improvement in the company's result is particularly positive considering that our most significant cost item, fuel, increased by some 25% year-on-year. Our more aggressive pricing and the continued optimization of our route network have resulted in improved load factors compared to 2011. The challenging market conditions have also reduced the intensity of competition on certain routes, which has benefited Finnair somewhat,” CEO Mika Vehviläinen said.

AY said a cost reduction program implemented last year, targeting €140 million savings, had “progressed well” and the airline therefore expects to make a full-year operational profit in 2012, the first since 2008.  It also announced a new cost cutting program targeting sustainable annual cost savings of €60 million by the end of 2014.

“We are still far off from our long-term profitability target of 6% operating profit margin,” Vehviläinen said, pointing out that the airline is committed to fleet renewal investment worth $1.2 billion over the next few years. This investment is “vital for the implementation of the airline's Asian growth strategy,” the airline said.

Vehviläinen also warned there were significant challenges ahead. “The fourth quarter is traditionally weaker than the third and continued uncertainty in the global economy makes the visibility for the rest of the year weak, particularly with regard to the demand for corporate travel.”

PurePower PW1100G-JM readies for tests

Pratt & Whitney has completed assembling its first PurePower PW1100G-JM test engine.
The test program for the Airbus A320neo engine option will comprise eight tests over the next 24 months; test engines will be built at Pratt’s West Palm Beach, Fla., and Middletown, Ct. facilities.

“The PurePower engine is an integral part of the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft,” Airbus SVP A320neo Family, Klaus Roewe said. “We continue to work closely with Pratt & Whitney to integrate the engine with the airframe, and we look forward to reviewing the initial test results from this first engine to test.”

Pratt has firm orders for 1,136 PW1100G-JM engines to power the neo and the engine’s entry into service is scheduled for October 2015.  The –JM engine is manufactured under a collaboration between Pratt, Japan Aero Engines Corporation and MTU Aero Engines (ATW Daily News, Oct. 6, 2011).

“Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan architecture is revolutionizing the single aisle marketplace with game changing benefits – reduced fuel burn, emissions, noise, and operating cost,” Pratt SVP-operations & engineering Paul Adams said.  “Our technology readiness execution for this engine family is robust. We’ve proven its benefits with extensive rig, ground, and flight testing.”

The –JM will be the third member of the PurePower PW1000G family to enter testing. The PurePower family has so far exceeded 3,700 hours and 11,000 cycles of full engine testing.

Boeing increases 777 build rate to 8.3 per month

Boeing produces a 777 on a production line in Everett. Courtesy, Boeing
Boeing said Tuesday it has started building the 777 at a rate of 8.3 aircraft per month, up 20% from the 7 per month rate it had been building the widebody aircraft (ATW Daily News, March 17, 2011).

The manufacturer said a rate of 8.3 aircraft per month is the “highest rate ever for a Boeing twin-aisle airplane … The first part, the lower lobe of the aft fuselage, of the first 777 [a freighter designated for Korean Air] to be built at the new rate was loaded into position in the factory earlier today.”

Boeing said the increase “reflects the strong demand for the 777.” It added that 1,049 777 passenger and freighter aircraft are currently in service.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Indonesia Accepts Superjet's Russian Type Certificate

Indonesian regulators have validated the type certificate of the Sukhoi Superjet, paving the way for Indonesian carrier Sky Aviation to take delivery of its first Superjet in November.

Officials from Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) visited Russia as part of the validation process, DGCA Director General Herry Bakti tells Aviation Week. He notes that the Superjet already has type validation from the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, however, has still to receive formal notification of the decision, telling Aviation Week that the “Indonesian DGCA is still working with respective documentation.”

Sky Aviation owner and Chairman Yusuf Ardhi tells Aviation Week that some of the airline’s pilots already have been sent to Venice, Italy, for Superjet simulator training. The airline has 12 Superjets on order, and Ardhi says the first is due to arrive in Indonesia next month. The airline also is due to receive a second Superjet in December, although Ardhi adds there are no firm delivery dates.

Sky Aviation currently operates five Fokker 50s, a Boeing 737-300, a Cessna Grand Caravan, a Cirrus SR-22, a Cirrus SR-20 and a Fokker 100. “We plan to have five more Fokker 50s and more narrowbody jets,” Ardhi says.

“We are still seeking other options on the narrowbody jets. The additional number of [these aircraft] will be decided after we fly the Superjet.”

“If the Superjet can perform economically, and [is operationally] as good as the 737 and Airbus A320 in the Indonesian market, we may focus on Sukhoi Superjets,” says Ardhi.

A Sukhoi Superjet operated by the manufacturer crashed while on a demonstration tour in Jakarta in May. All 45 on board died, including 14 employees of Sky Aviation.

[Editor note: This article is an update of the original to reflect comments by Sukhoi]

Indonesia’s Approval Of SuperJet Clears Sky Aviation Deliveries


 
Indonesian regulators have validated the type certificate of the Sukhoi Superjet, paving the way for Indonesian carrier Sky Aviation to take delivery of its first Superjet in November.

Officials from Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) visited Russia as part of the validation process, DGCA Director General Herry Bakti tells Aviation Week. He notes that the Superjet already has type validation from the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, however, has still to receive formal notification of the decision, telling Aviation Week that the “Indonesian DGCA is still working with respective documentation.”

Sky Aviation owner and Chairman Yusuf Ardhi tells Aviation Week that some of the airline’s pilots already have been sent to Venice, Italy, for Superjet simulator training. The airline has 12 Superjets on order, and Ardhi says the first is due to arrive in Indonesia next month. The airline also is due to receive a second Superjet in December, although Ardhi adds there are no firm delivery dates.

Sky Aviation currently operates five Fokker 50s, a Boeing 737-300, a Cessna Grand Caravan, a Cirrus SR-22, a Cirrus SR-20 and a Fokker 100. “We plan to have five more Fokker 50s and more narrowbody jets,” Ardhi says.

“We are still seeking other options on the narrowbody jets. The additional number of [these aircraft] will be decided after we fly the Superjet.”

“If the Superjet can perform economically, and [is operationally] as good as the 737 and Airbus A320 in the Indonesian market, we may focus on Sukhoi Superjets,” says Ardhi.

A Sukhoi Superjet operated by the manufacturer crashed while on a demonstration tour in Jakarta in May. All 45 on board died, including 14 employees of Sky Aviation.

[Editor note: This article is an update of the original to reflect comments by Sukhoi]

SOURCE: http://www.aviationweek.com

New KAIA Terminal expected to open at end of 2014

The new terminal currently under construction at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah is expected to be operational in the last quarter of 2014, according to the Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA).

Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah, president of GACA, told Saudi Gazette that 31% of the work on the new airport terminal, which will have a capacity of 30 million passengers annually, has been completed.
The airport’s North Terminal, which currently serves foreign airlines, will close following the completion of the project, while the South Terminal, currently used by Saudi Arabian Airlines and Nasair, will be transformed into a cargo hub. GACA also said that the North Terminal would be considered for the extension of the Haj Terminal.

Mohammad Aabed, the KAIA project supervisor, said all foreign flights would be diverted to the airports’ new terminal currently under construction. The new airport is being built on a 105 km² area, and its total capacity will reach 80 million passengers after the completion of the third phase in 2035. The total terminal area will be 670,000m².

The new terminal will serve both Saudia and foreign carriers with the international gates accessible by an automated passengers transport system. The departure lounge will have 200 check-in counters, in addition to 80 self-service counters, 46 departure gates and waiting lounges, a hotel and a modern shopping area.

The project also includes an expressway connecting Al-Haramain Expressway to Madinah Road, and crossing with Prince Majed Road, which will be the main access road to the airport. The Haramain High Speed Railway will have a stop at the airport.

The project will have the world’s tallest control tower, which currently stands at of 46 metres. A 7km service tunnel will link all utility projects, including three power plants and three information centres.
The airport will also include an automated train will transfer passengers across the 700-metre distance between the terminals and boarding gates.

The construction of the new airport will cost a total of $7.2bn (SAR 27bn), with around 20,000 tonnes of steel has been used in the construction of the airport’s roof.

Statistics released by GACA show that 22.9 million passengers used Jeddah airport in 2011, compared with 19.9 million in 2010, which accounts for more than 42% of a total 54 million air passengers in the Kingdom.

PU Targetkan Akses Kualanamu Selesai 2014

MedanBisnis - Medan. Pembangunan jalan nasional akses nontol dari Kota Medan ke Kualanamu ditargetkan selesai 2014 untuk mendukung bandara baru yang akan difungsikan 2014 mendatang.
Pembebasan lahan untuk akses nontol ke Kualanamu sampai saat ini  progresnya telah mencapai 87%, kata Direktur Bina Pelaksanaan Jalan Nasional Wilayah 1 Ditjen Bina Marga Kementerian PU, Subagyo CES di sela-sela kunjungan lapangan di Medan, baru-baru ini.

Diakuinya masih ada sejumlah lahan yang belum bisa dibebaskan dan sifatnya parsial yang akan menyulitkan kemajuan proses pembangunan jalan sepanjang 15 kilometer tersebut.

Pihaknya meminta peranan aktif pemerintah daerah setempat untuk membantu pembebasan tanah agar pembangunan jalan menuju ke arah bandara baru di Sumut tersebut berjalan sesuai target. "Pemerintah daerah harus punya peran di sini dalam pembebasan lahan agar pekerjaan pembangunan jalan tidak terhambat," ujarnya.

Pembangunan jalan nontol tersebut menyerap anggaran sebesar Rp 530 miliar yang bersifat multitahun (multi years). Dia memperkirakan tahun ini akan terserap sekitar Rp247 miliar. "Kami harus mengatur penyelesaian jalan ini dengan penyelesaian pembangunan bandara Kualanamu agar akses jalan yang dibangun bisa langsung terkoneksi dengan bandara baru itu," katanya.

Bandara Kualanamu sendiri ditargetkan selesai pembangunannya tahun 2014. Selain akses nontol, pemerintah juga membangun akses tol dari Medan ke Kualanamu sepanjang 17,8 kilometer, dimana sekitar 90% dibiayai oleh pinjaman dari Bank Ekspor Impor China. "Pembangunan akses tol tersebut juga masih terkendala masalah pembebasan lahan," ujarnya.

Namun dia tetap optimistis pembangunan jalan tol tersebut bisa berjalan lancar sesuai target tahun 2014 dan China tetap mau membiayai proyek yang diperkirakan menyerap dana hingga Rp 1,5 triliun.

FO Jamin Ginting
Dalam kesempatan terpisah Kepala Satuan Kerja (Ka Satker) Pelaksanaan Jalan Nasional Metropolitan Medan, Mula Tua Sinaga menyatakan, pembangunan fly over (FO) Jamin Ginting sepanjang 1.472 m telah dimulai pengerjaannya.

FO tersebut dimaksudkan untuk mengatasi kepadatan lalulintas Jalan A H Nasution, Kota Medan yang setiap hari, terutama jam sibuk pagi hari maupun sore hari, mengalami kemacetan yang luar biasa.

Pembangunan FO itu akan ditangani secara bertahap sampai 2014, yang dialokasikan dananya sebesar Rp 92 miliar. Untuk tahun ini dialokasikan dana sebesar Rp 30 miliar untuk fokus penanganan pelebaran sisi kanan dan kiri jalan untuk mengalihkan arus lalulintas. Sedangkan TA 2013 akan dimulai pembangunan fly over-nya yang dikerjakan oleh PT Pembangunan Perumahan dan Wijaya Karya.

Menjawab pertanyaan kendala tentang pembebasan lahan, Mula Tua Sinaga menyatakan masalah tanah masih ada beberapa bidang namun pihaknya optimis tahun depan dapat diselesaikan.

Tol Medan-Kualanamu Dipercepat

MedanBisnis – Jakarta. Persiapan pembangunan ruas tol Medan-Kualanamu di Sumatera Utara akan dipercepat. Hal ini untuk mendukung pengoperasian Bandara Kualanamu yang diperkirakan beroperasi mulai tahun depan.
Kasubdit Pengadaan Tanah Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum Heri Marzuki mengatakan, proses pembebasan lahan untuk tol ini menjadi prioritas dari 24 ruas tol yang direncanakan pemerintah.
"Kita nggak punya target, tapi prioritas.

Contohnya Medan Kualanamu, karena tinggal sedikit dan sudah kontrak loan dengan China," ungkap Heri saat ditemui wartawan di Kantor Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum, di Jakarta, Selasa (25/9).

Pembangunan proyek ini menjadi prioritas karena menurut Heri, ini akan menjadi akses penunjang dibangunnya Bandara Kualanamu. "Kalau airport-nya selesai nggak ada tolnya ya mau gimana," ungkapnya.

Saat ini, proses pembebasan lahan untuk ruas tol Medan-Kualanamu sudah mencapai 48%. Ditargetkan, konstruksi sudah bisa mulai dilakukan saat proses pembebasan lahannya mencapai 60%. Pasalnya, menurut Heri, investor asing dari China sudah berniat untuk menggarap tol ini.
"Semua lahannya 197 hektare. Presentasenya 48% yang sudah bebas, jadi baru sekitar 95 hektare. Targetnya 60% tahun ini, China masuk untuk konstruksi," pungkasnya.

Pembangunan jalan tol Medan-Kualanamu merupakan proyek tol sepanjang kurang lebih 60 kilometer yang akan melalui rute Medan-Lubuk Pakam-Kualanamu hingga Tebingtinggi. Proyek tersebut, merupakan salah satu proyek prioritas yang diserahkan pelaksanannya pada Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum.

Adapun pembagian pelaksanaan proyek ruas tol itu yakni pemerintah akan melaksanakan bagian ruas tol dari Medan-Lubuk Pakam-Kualanamu sepanjang 24 Km, dengan kebutuhan lahan sebesar 197,94 hektare dan nilai investasi sekitar Rp 1,75 triliun.

Sedangkan dari Kualanamu hingga Tebing Tinggi sepanjang 36 kilometer dengan kebutuhan lahan 243,59 hektare dan nilai investasi sekitar Rp 2,6 triliun akan digarap oleh investor swasta, dengan skema pembiayaan kerjasama pemerintah-swasta.

Staf Ahli Menteri Pekerjaan Umum Bidang Sosial Budaya dan Peran Masyarakat Ir Hediyanto W Husaini MSCE MSi, saat di Medan, Sabtu (22/9), mengatakan pembangunan ruas tol Medan - Tebingtinggi akan direalisasikan satu tahun hingga dua tahun lagi. Pelaksanaannya akan ditentukan apakah ditenderkan ke investor (swasta) atau penunjukan kepada perusahaan BUMN.

Khusus untuk ruas tol Medan - Kualanamu sepanjang 16,91 Km, kata Hediyanto, akan dikerjakan dengan loan China sebesar Rp 1,225 triliun. Bahkan, kontraknya sudah ditandatangani pada 12 Desember 2011 dan rencana selesai tahun 2013. "Kendalanya saat ini terkait pelepasan lahan, khususnya milik BUMN Perkebunan. Untuk proyek ruas tol Medan - Tebingtinggi sepanjang 69,12 km dari kebutuhan lahan 436,12 ha yang telah bebas baru 45%. Kalau Maret 2013 Bandara Kualanamu dioperasikan, kita harapkan akses jalan ke Bandara Kualanamu masih dari jalan non tol," katanya.

Walau pembangunan akses jalan non tol ke Bandara Kualanamu juga masih terkendala soal pelepasan lahan, Hediyanto optimis jalan non tol tersebut bisa diselesaikan sebelum Maret 2013. "Biasanya kalau sudah dikejar deadline, semuanya bisa diselesaikan," katanya.

Para pengusaha dari Himpunan Pengembangan Jalan Indonesia (HPSJI) Sumut mengharapkan pemerintah pusat segera merealisasikan pembangunan ruas tol dan non tol. Ketua HPJI Sumut, Ir Umar Zunaidi Hasibuan MM mengatakan sebagai warga Sumut akan merasa malu kalau Bandara Kualanamu bisa dioperasikan bulan Maret tapi tidak memiliki akses jalan baik tol dan non tol.

Rel KA CAT-Kualanamu 80%

MedanBisnis – Medan. Pembangunan akses jalur kereta api (KA) Medan - Kualanamu dikebut. Demikian juga pembangunan City Airport Terminal (CAT), yang berfungsi sebagai City Check In di Stasiun Besar Kereta Api Medan. Pembangunan jalur rel dan CAT tersebut hingga saat ini sudah rampung 80%.
"Tidak ada masalah yang berarti, semuanya lancar saja. Pembangunannya terus kita kejar agar selesai tepat waktu.

Jika memungkinkan, sebelum waktu yang ditentukan, kita harapkan pengerjaan sudah selesai. Ya, terus kita kejar agar selesai secepatnya," kata Hu=-mas PT KAI Divre I Sumut-Aceh, Hasri kepada MedanBisnis, Minggu kemarin.

"Secara umum, pembangunannya sudah hampir rampung seluruhnya. Ya, sekitar 80% pembangunannya sudah selesai. Bisa dilihat sendiri pembangunanya, mulai dari CAT sampai pengerjaan pemasangan rel baru. CAT pun sudah hampir siap. Sejumlah sarana pendukung pun sudah ditata seperti kursi tunggu untuk penumpang," ujarnya.

Informasi yang dihimpun MedanBisnis, pembangunan CAT dan rel menuju Kualanamu ditargetkan selesai pada November 2012.

Dengan fasilitas tersebut diharapkan calon penumpang yang akan berangka ke bandara internasional baru di Kualanamu tidak akan terjebak macet. Hasri menjelaskan, jarak CAT ke Bandara Kualanamu sekitar 29 km.

Diperkirakan memakan waktu tempuh selama 20 sampai 30 menit. Jalur tersebut melewati dua stasiun kecil yakni di Bandar Kalifah dan Batang Kuis.

Total jalur baru yang saat ini sedang berlangsung, sepanjang 4,8 km. Biayanya Rp 10,7 miliar dan dikerjakan oleh PT Antaraksa asal Medan. Pelaksanaan pekerjaan sudah dimulai sejak 20 Maret 2012 lalu dan akan berlangsung selama 240 hari kerja.

 Untuk pembebasan lahan juga tidak ada masalah lagi, sebab lima rumah warga dengan total luas sekitar satu hektare di sekitar lokasi pembangunan sudah selesai pada tahun 2008 lalu.

Teknis operasional CAT nantinya, dijelaskan Hasri, calon penumpang pesawat dapat melakukan check in keberangkatan secara langsung di CAT. Di sana ada dua pos City Check In.

CAT sendiri dilaksanakan oleh PT Cipta Usaha Nusa Gede asal Bandung, pengerjaan telah dimulai 19 Maret 2012 lalu dengan 240 hari kerja dan selesai pada November 2012. Biayanya Rp 32,4 miliar.

Gerbong yang akan dioperasionalkan nantinya akan disediakan empat rangkaian. "Setiap satu set kereta api ada 240 seat. Setiap hari ada 16 kali perjalanan ke Kualanamu, pergi pulang, jarak keberangkatannya 30 menit," pungkasnya.

Parkir di Kualanamu Minta Diperluas

MedanBisnis – Medan. Dinas Perhubungan (Dishub) Propinsi Sumut meminta lahan parkir atau tempat pengendapan lokasi bus atau moda angkutan dari Kota Medan dan kabupaten lain ke Bandara baru di Kualanamu, Deli Serdang lebih luas.
Lokasi parkir yang sudah dialokasikan dinilai terlalu kecil dan kurang layak sebagai tempat pengendapan atau tempat parkir dan istirahat bus. "Tadi, kami baru meninjau lokasi di Kualanamu bersama dengan PT Angkasa Pura (AP) II. Tempat pengendapan seperti tempat parkir atau tempat istirahat armada bus di Bandara Kualanamu nanti kurang luas," kata Kadis Perhubungan Sumut, Anthony Siahaan melalui Kabid Perhubungan Darat Dishub Sumut, Darwin Purba kepada MedanBisnis, Jumat kemarin.

Dia meminta lokasi lebih luas, agar tidak mengganggu mobilitas kendaraan dan sinkron dengan aktifitas operasional bandara. "Kita mem-pertimbangkan lalu lintas dan mobilitas bus yang akan ber operasi nantinya tidak akan mengganggu operasional lainnya. Nanti tidak hanya satu armada saja datang dan pergi ke dan dari Kualanamu. Kita perkirakan armada yang akan beroperasi cukup banyak," ujarnya.

Dia menjelaskan lokasi parkir yang diminta itu sudah disanggupi pihak PT AP II. Rencananya, dalam waktu dekat akan dilakukan penambahan dan perluasan lokasi parkir lagi untuk moda angkutan dari dan menuju Bandara Kualanamu.

Persiapan tender pengadaan jasa angkutan ke Bandara Kualanamu, Deli Serdang, menurut Darwin, masih tahap persiapan, tinggal menunggu penetapan gubernur sebagai payung hukumnya.

"Pembahasan itu alot, karena tender moda angkutan ke Kualanamu itu bukan pengadaan barang, tapi pengadaan jasa. Standarisasinya kita yang siapkan termasuk seluruh izin yang diperlukan, kita yang sediakan. Tapi armada, pihak ketiga yang ikut tender itu yang mengadakannya sesuai kemampuan perusahaan masing-masing. Bisa jadi, 10 armada atau lebih sesuai kemampuan perusahaan," jelasnya.

Dia juga menegaskan Organisasi Angkutan Darat (Organda) Sumut juga sudah bertanya ke pihaknya soal tender tersebut. Sebab, mereka khawatir sebagai pengusaha angkutan lokal di daerah, nantinya moda angkutan ke Kualanamu itu dikuasai perusahaan atau pengusaha dari luar. "Mereka khawatir pihak luar yang akan menguasai," pungkasnya.

HK-China Harbour Garap Tol Medan-Kualanamu

Jakarta, (Analisa). PT Hutama Karya Persero (HK) bersama China Harbour akan mengerjakan jalan tol Medan-Kualanamu tahun depan, menyusul penunjukan langsung dari pemerintah agar Hutama Karya menggarap jalan tol trans Sumatera.
"Kita konstruktornya bersama dengan China seperti "joint operation" (JO)," kata Sekretaris Perusahaan Hutama Karya Ari Widiantoro di kantor pusat BNI, Jakarta, Senin (8/10).

Menurutnya, pengerjaan proyek jalan Tol Medan-Kualanamu akan segera direalisasikan setelah perizinan, dukungan dana, serta lahan diperoleh perseroan.

"Untuk ruas jalan Tol Kualanamu ada yang dikerjakan oleh kita dan pemerintah, namun Kualanamu-Tebing Tinggi kita yang mengerjakannya," tuturnya.

Ia menjelaskan, jalan tol trans Sumatera ini memiliki lima "section" dengan investasi sebesar Rp28 triliun. Investasi tersebut sudah termasuk pembebasan lahan. Dari investasi tersebut, sekitar 30 persen akan dibiayai dari ekuitas perseroan dan 70 persen eksternal.

"Saat ini, Mandiri Sekuritas dan Danareksa Sekuritas tengah melakukan kajian skema pendanaannya. Ada sukuk, obligasi, serta pinjaman," paparnya.

Selain itu, Hutama Karya juga tengah mengajukan penyertaan modal negara (PMN) senilai Rp5 triliun yang masuk dalam Rencana Kerja dan Anggaran Perusahaan (RKAP) 2013.

"Kita mengajukan PMN Rp5 triliun di RKAP 2013 dari kebutuhan yang kita perlu sampai dengan Rp10 triliun. Namun, bertahap tidak bisa sekaligus," ungkapnya.

Ia optimistis pemerintah dan DPR menyetujui PMN tersebut sebab pembangunan proyek trans Sumatera merupakan penugasan langsung dari pemerintah untuk memajukan perekonomian Indonesia.

"Di negara lain, infrastruktur adalah trigger untuk memajukan perekonomian. Kalau tidak ada dukungan, maka orang akan tunggu-tungguan," tegasnya.

New carrier Pacific Royale halts service

Domestic full service carrier Pacific Royale Airways has announced that it has temporary halted operations, just months after starting service in June.

“We need to halt our operations because we plan to change our business plan,” Pacific Royale sales manager Dede Hartono told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Dede said that the airline grounded its three Fokker 50s at its hubs in Surabaya, East Java, and Batam, Riau Islands, in early October.

“It is not because of a financial crisis in our company. We have to stop operations, because we need a new business plan that will bring more benefits to the company and customers,” he said.

Pacific Royale is 51 percent owned by local businessman Gunarni Gunawan and 49 percent owned by Indian investor Tarun Trika.

The airline offered flights between Surabaya and Bandung, West Java; Pangkalan, North Sumatra; and Semarang, West Java; and Batam and Padang, West Sumatra; and Jambi.

According to its old business plan, Pacific Royale planned to use five F50s for feeder routes and four Airbus A320s single-aisle aircraft and one Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft for domestic and international flights.

source: The Jakarta Post

GMF to construct new hangar in December

PT GMF AeroAsia, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, is to construct its fourth hangar in December in an investment worth US$50 million to keep up with Garuda’s expanding fleet.

The new hangar will enable the company to repair and overhaul more aircraft, helping it generate more revenue.

“The new hangar will ensure we keep up with growing demand and deliver the best service to enhance [aviation] safety in Indonesia,” GMF’s corporate secretary Dwi Prasmono Adji told The Jakarta Post.

The Garuda Group will operate as many as 294 aircraft, with an average fleet age of five-years-old by the end of 2015. The fleet is part of Garuda’s Quantum Leap program, where Garuda will operate 194 aircraft while another 100 aircraft, including 50 turboprop planes, will be operated by its strategic business unit Citilink Indonesia.

The airlines under Garuda, Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air have also used GMF’s hangars. Lion, for example, needs hangars to maintain its 178 aircraft by the end of 2016.

New Hangar 4 will be constructed on an 18,000 square-meter plot of land and will be equipped with a purpose-built docking platform for C-Check or heavy maintenance of narrow-body aircraft, such as the Boeing B737 family, Dwi said.

The hangar will also be able to house 16 narrow-body aircraft.

The construction will take approximately one year to complete and the company expects it to be operational by the end of 2013.

GMF’s existing three hangars can accommodate up to 29 aircraft.

GMF plans to build a fifth, which will house four wide-body aircraft, including the B747 series and Airbus 330s.

The fifth hangar is projected to commence commercial operations by the end of 2014.

Dwi said the company had recently finished its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities for the sub-100 jet Bombardier in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

“The facilities are 99 percent ready because we will see Bombardier’s inaugural flight next week. We now have the ability to repair the [Bombardier] aircraft,” he said.

In the future, GMF plans to set up more Bombardier MRO facilities in Garuda’s regional hubs: Medan, North Sumatra; Balikpapan, East Kalimantan; Denpasar, Bali and Biak, West Papua, where the Canadian aircraft are based.

Garuda signed a contract to purchase 18 Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen series at the Singapore Airshow in February with an option to buy an additional 18. This year, the airline will operate five jets from its Makassar hub.

GMF AeroAsia has facilities to conduct A-Check (light maintenance) to D-Check (the most comprehensive aircraft checks), in Cengkareng, just west of Jakarta.

source: The Jakarta Post

Garuda dan Lion Prioritas Pindah ke Bandara Kualanamu

MedanBisnis – Deliserdang. PT AP II Pusat bersama Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub) RI akan membentuk Tim Pemindahan Bandara Polonia Medan ke Bandara Internasional Kualanamu. Dua maskapai mendapat prioritas untuk pindah terlebih dulu ke bandara baru itu, yaitu Garuda Indonesia dan Lion Air.
Chief of LA & General Affairs Project Implementation Unit (PIU) PT AP II Pembangunan Bandara Kualanamu Wisnu Budi Setianto SH  mengatakan Tim Pemindahan beranggotakan Direktorat Jendral (Dirjend) Perhubungan Udara, Direktur Keselamatan Terbang dan PT AP II.

"Untuk teknis pemindahannya sendiri tidak tanggungjawab PIU. Karena kita, hanya sebagai Project Implementation Unit (PIU) PT AP II Pembangunan Bandara Baru Kualanamu  Deliserdang atau pelaksana pembangunan proyek fisiknya. Secara teknis, persiapan pemindahannya nanti akan dilakukan melalui sebuah Tim Pemindahan Polonia ke Kualanamu dari pemerintah pusat," katanya kepada MedanBisnis, Senin (15/10), di kantornya kawasan proyek Kualanamu, Deliserdang.

Sebelumnya, PT Angkasa Pura (AP) II Pusat memastikan operasional bandara baru internasional  di Desa Pasar VI Kualanamu Kecamatan Beringin, Lubuk Pakam, Deliserdang akan dimulai pada Maret 2013. Meskipun sejumlah sarana pendukung seperti jalan arteri, jalan non tol, jalan tol belum rampung sepenuhnya, PT AP II memastikan minimum equipment operation untuk operasional bandara sudah selesai.

Wisnu mengatakan, teknis pemindahan sebuah bandara lama ke bandara baru itu sangat rumit dan membutuhkan orang-orang yang benar-benar terlatih dan berpengalaman. Sebab, dalam teknisnya, perpindahan bandara itu tidak sertamerta dilakukan dalam waktu satu hari, namun bertahap dan membutuhkan waktu."Desember tim ini akan dibentuk.  Dalam pengoperasian bandara baru juga perlu sertifikasi meskipun dibangun oleh pemerintah. Ya, sertifikasi kelayakan operasionalnya," ujarnya. Sertifikasi dilakukan oleh Dirjen Perhubungan Udara dan Direktur Keselamatan Terbang Kemenhub RI.

Dia menjelaskan perpindahan Polonia ke Kualanamu nantinya dilakukan secara bertahap. Kemungkinan besar, Bandara Polonia dan Bandara Internasional Kualanamu akan tetap beroperasi bersamaan sembari bertahap dilakukan pemindahan keseluruhan."Mungkin nanti maskapai Garuda Indonesia dan Lion Air dipindah lebih dulu ke Kualanamu, baru menyusul maskapai lain. Jadi, dua bandara ini akan beroperasi bersama-sama sembari pemindahan menyeluruh," jelasnya.

Dalam perpindahan itu, seluruh perangkat di Bandara Polonia akan ditinggalkan. Perangkat baru di Bandara Kualanamu sudah disiapkan, seperti sistem navigasi dan Air Traffic Control (ATC) dengan ACC. Pemindahan tower east dan west, APV dan Brifing juga dilakukan bertahap seperti teknis pindahnya sejumlah maskapai penerbangan dari Polonia ke Kualanamu. "Semua perangkat disini sudah disiapkan, all brand new (semua barang baru-red). Jadi, pegawai pindah kemari tidak perlu bawa apa-apa lagi. Tinggal bawa mobil dan berkas-berkas penting saja," ujarnya.

Untuk kode penerbangan, tegasnya, Bandara Kualanamu masih menggunakan kode Bandara Polonia Medan yakni MES. "Tapi lokasi bandara pakai kode WIMM yang saat ini masih digunakan untuk Bandara Polonia Medan. Jadi nanti  WIMM akan digunakan untuk Bandara Kualanamu, dan Bandara Polonia akan diberikan kode WIMK. Teknisnya nanti akan diatur lagi oleh Tim Pemindahan Bandara," tegasnya.

GM Garuda Indonesia Branch Office (BO) Medan Syamsuddin mengakui proses pemindahan ke Banadara Kualanamu secara teknis tidak mudah. Tapi, katanya, pihaknya sudah memiliki standard operating procedure (SOP) yang sudah disiapkan jauh hari. "Rencananya pada Januari tahun 2013 nanti kita akan memulai soft opening pelayanan di sana. Ya, bisa dibilang sebagai langkah awal melakukan latihan-latihan kecil menggunakan perangkat baru di sana," tuturnya.

Teknis pemindahan, katanya, juga dilakukan bertahap dan mungkin juga akan dibantu Tim Pemindahan dari Garuda Indonesia Pusat. Karena, dari proses pemindahan ini yang paling penting adalah komputer server yang menjadi kendali utama konektivitas layanan Garuda Indonesia secara online. Komputer server ini sama sekali tidak boleh mati, jadi perangkat di Kualanamu harus disiapkan lebih dulu baru bisa dipindahkan server yang di Polonia. "Prosedur ini sama dengan pengalaman perpindahan di Bandara Lombok, Bandara Soekarno-Hatta Jakarta dan Bandara Tabing Padang. Kita siap pindah ke Kualanamu," katanya.

Sales Manager Garuda Indonesia BO Medan Susan juga mengungkapkan hal senada. Ia hanya meminta garansi jaringan komputer aman di Kualanamu dalam proses pemindahan tersebut.
"Kalau masalah teknis pilot kita nanti mendaratkan pesawat, saya rasa juga tidak ada masalah, karena akan dipandu oleh petugas ATC (Air traffic control)," tegasnya.

DPRD Sumut Paripurnakan Nama Bandara Sebulan Lagi

MedanBisnis – Medan. DPRD Sumut memastikan nama bandar udara (bandara) yang ada di Kualanamu, Deliserdang akan mengakomodir masukan dari seluruh kabupaten/kota yang ada di Sumut. Nama bandara pengganti bandara Polonia tersebut pun diklaim akan menggambarkan kekompakan masyarakat Sumut secara keseluruhan.
Ketua Panitia Khusus (Pansus) Nama Bandara di Kualanamu DPRD Sumut Fadly Nurzal mengemukakannya kepada MedanBisnis, Selasa (16/10). "Insya Allah, akhir November sudah diparipurnakan. Saat ini masih ada beberapa tahapan yang akan dilakukan oleh pansus sebelum finalisasi di tingkat internal DPRD Sumut," katanya.

Sebelumnya, Chief of Project Implementation Unit (PIU) PT AP II Pembangunan Bandara Baru Kualanamu Wisnu Setianto meminta Pempropsu dan DPRD Sumut memutuskan nama bandara baru tersebut pada November 2012 ini. Menurutnya, nama bandara tersebut dibutuhkan secepatnya untuk melaporkan ke ICAO (pengawas bandara internasional-red). Selain itu, juga untuk menyosialisasikan nama tersebut secepatnya kepada masyarakat dan pihak terkait penerbangan. 

Fadly mengatakan sejumlah nama sudah diterima oleh pansus dari berbagai sosialisasi dan serapan usulan dari berbagai kabupaten/kota di Sumut. Dari 33 kabupaten/kota di Sumut, katanya, tinggal empat kabupaten dan satu kotamadya di Nias yang belum dikunjungi oleh Pansus.

Nama-nama yang diusulkan, katanya, tidak jauh berbeda dengan yang muncul sejak beberapa terakhir ini, diantaranya nama tokoh Sumut dan nama Kualanamu sendiri.

"Karenanya, kami masih akan menyerap masukan dari lima daerah di Kepulauan Nias, selanjutnya akan membahasnya bersama empat instansi, tepatnya lokasi bandara baru itu berada. Instansi tersebut, Pempropsu, DPRD Sumut, Pemkab Deliserdang dan DPRD Deliserdang. Hal ini mengingat, prioritas nama ditetapkan oleh daerah lokasi bandara berada," terangnya.

Sekdapropsu H Nurdin Lubis SH MM beberapa waktu lalu mengatakan, Pemerintah Propinsi Sumatera Utara (Pempropsu) sudah menginventarisasi lima nama untuk Bandara Kualanamu. Kelima nama itu, yakni Bandara Sultan Serdang, Bandara Kualanamu, Bandara Raja Sisingamangaraja XII, Bandara Haji Adam Malik dan Bandara Tengku Amir Hamzah.

Dia menyebutkan ketentuan yang diatur oleh Menhub bahwa nama bandara diusulkan oleh Pempropsu dengan persetujuan DPRD Sumut untuk diputuskan atau ditetapkan oleh Menhub.
"Enam bulan sebelum operasional nama itu sudah harus ditetapkan.

Bandara ini dijadwalkan operasional bulan Maret 2013 sehingga bulan September ini mesti disosialisasikan ke dunia internasional," jelasnya.

Proyek Tol Medan-Kualanamu Dikebut Agar Bisa Dukung Bandara Baru

MedanBisnis-Jakarta. Persiapan pembangunan ruas tol Medan-Kualanamu di Sumatera Utara akan dipercepat. Hal ini untuk mendukung pengoperasian Bandara Kualanamu selesai akhir tahun ini.
Kasubdit Pengadaan Tanah Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum, Heri Marzuki mengatakan, proses pembebasan lahan untuk tol ini menjadi prioritas dari 24 ruas tol yang direncanakan pemerintah.

"Kita nggak punya target, tapi prioritas. Contohnya Medan Kualanamu, karena tinggal sedikit dan sudah kontrak loan dengan China," ungkap Heri saat ditemui wartawan di Kantor Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum, di Jakarta, Selasa (25/9/12).

Pembangunan proyek ini menjadi prioritas karena menurut Heri, ini akan menjadi akses penunjang dibangunnya Bandara Kualanamu.

"Airportnya tahun ini sudah selesai, kalau airportnya selesai nggak ada tolnya ya mau gimana," ungkapnya.

Saat ini, proses pembebasan lahan untuk ruas tol Medan-Kualanamu sudah mencapai 48%. Ditargetkan, konstruksi sudah bisa mulai dilakukan saat proses pembebasan lahannya mencapai 60%. Pasalnya, menurut Heri, investor asing dari China sudah berniat untuk menggarap tol ini.

"Semua lahannya 197 hektar. Presentasenya 48% yang sudah bebas, jadi baru sekitar 95 hektar. Targetnya 60% tahun ini, China masuk untuk konstruksi," pungkasnya.

Pembangunan jalan tol Medan-Kualanamu merupakan proyek tol sepanjang kurang lebih 60 kilometer yang akan melalui rute Medan-Lubuk Pakam-Kualanamu hingga Tebing Tinggi. Proyek tersebut, merupakan salah satu proyek prioritas yang diserahkan pelaksanannya pada Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum.

Adapun pembagian pelaksanaan proyek ruas tol itu yakni pemerintah akan melaksanakan bagian ruas tol dari Medan-Lubuk Pakam-Kualanamu sepanjang 24 Km, dengan kebutuhan lahan sebesar 197,94 hektar dan nilai investasi sekitar Rp 1,75 triliun.

Sedangkan dari Kualanamu hingga Tebing Tinggi sepanjang 36 kilometer dengan kebutuhan lahan 243,59 hektar dan nilai investasi sekitar Rp 2,6 triliun akan digarap oleh investor swasta, dengan skema pembiayaan kersama pemerintah-swasta.

KA ke Kualanamu Hampir Rampung

MedanBisnis – Medan. PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Divre I Sumut-NAD menyatakan pembangunan rel Kereta Api (KA) Medan-Kualanamu, Deliserdang sudah hampir rampung. Secara teknis pembangunannya tinggal menyelesaikan bangunan stasiun kecil yang akan menjadi tempat naik dan menurunkan penumpang.
Pengamatan MedanBisnis pada Senin lalu, di Kualanamu, jaringan rel yang dibangun PT KAI sebagian besar sudah terpasang dan menyatu dengan yang lainnya. Selain itu, hanya tinggal melengkapi perangkat yang kurang seperti penyatuan pada rel yang terbelah di tikungan letter U persis di depan Terminal Keberangkatan/Kedatangan bandara baru di Kualanamu.

"Pihak PT KAI sudah menyatakan sanggup akan tetap mengoperasionalkan kereta api setiap 30 menit. Pergerakan kereta api akan terus berjalan meski tidak ada penumpang. Itu sudah disanggupi pihak PT KAI. Fisiknya untuk PT KAI saya rasa juga sudah hampir selesai," kata Chief of LA dan General Affairs Project Implementation Unit (PIU) PT AP II, Wisnu Budi Setianto kepada MedanBisnis baru-baru ini di Kualanamu.

Di tempat terpisah, Humas Divre I PT KAI Sumut-NAD Hasri, Rabu kemarin mengakui, pemasangan dan pembangunan jalur rel kereta api dari Medan menuju Kualanamu hanya tersisa 10% saja. "Sudah hampir selesai. Dari laporan yang kita terima, pihak pelaksana proyek sudah hampir menyelesaikan pekerjaannya. Saat ini sudah mencapai 90%," jelas Hasri kepada MedanBisnis.

Hasri juga mengatakan setelah selesai nantinya. Pihaknya akan melakukan uji coba beberapa kali sebelum dipergunakan untuk publik. "Uji cobanya akan dilakukan, tapi nanti setelah pekerjaan seluruhnya selesai dikerjakan," tegasnya.

Perlu diketahui, pembangunan akses jalur kereta api (KA) Medan-Kualanamu dikebut. Demikian juga pembangunan City Airport Terminal (CAT), yang berfungsi sebagai City Check In di Stasiun Besar Kereta Api Medan.

Total jalur baru yang saat ini sedang berlangsung, sepanjang 4,8 km. Biayanya Rp 10,7 miliar dan dikerjakan oleh PT Antaraksa asal Medan. Pelaksanaan pekerjaan sudah dimulai sejak 20 Maret 2012 lalu dan akan berlangsung selama 240 hari kerja.

Bandara Kualanamu Beroperasi Maret 2013

MedanBisnis—Deliserdang. PT Angkasa Pura (AP) II Pusat memastikan operasional bandara baru internasional di Desa Pasar VI Kualanamu Kecamatan Beringin, Lubuk Pakam, Deliserdang akan dimulai pada Maret 2013. Meskipun sejumlah sarana pendukung seperti jalan arteri, jalan non tol, jalan tol belum rampung sepenuhnya, PT AP II memastikan minimum equipment operation untuk operasional bandara sudah selesai.
"Pemerintah pusat dan Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub) RI bersama AP II Pusat tetap berupaya maksimal untuk pelaksanaan pembangunan proyek Bandara Kualanamu ini dapat terlaksana dengan baik. Ya, kita memastikan bandara akan mulai beroperasi pada Maret 2013 secara bertahap," kata Chief of Project Implementation Unit (PIU) PT AP II Pembangunan Bandara Baru Kualanamu Deliserdang, Wisnu Budi Setianto SH, kepada MedanBisnis, Senin (15/10), di ruang kerjanya.

Dia mengatakan minimum equipment operation ini menjadi acuan sebuah bandara meskipun fisik bangunan tidak bisa dipastikan akan selesai pada Maret 2013. "Fisiknya memang secara bertahap akan selesai. Tapi kita bersama-sama berupaya untuk memaksimalkan seluruhnya termasuk sarana pendukung," ujarnya.

Sarana pendukung lain seperti jaringan telepon dari Telkom, jaringan listrik dari PLN dan air juga sedang diselesaikan. Wisnu menuturkan, untuk jaringan telepon sudah terpasang, jaringan listrik akan selesai pada November 2012 dan perangkat air bersih juga sudah selesai dikerjakan.
Pengamatan MedanBisnis, pembangunan sejumlah sarana utama terus dikebut. Data yang dihimpun dari PIU PT AP II menunjukkan proses pembangunan untuk sektor publik sudah mencapai 95,43%, sektor privat mencapai 76,89% dan secara keseluruhan pembangunan sudah mencapai 87,29%.

Tampak gateway, jalan poros depan, terminal kargo, parallel taxiway dan PK-PPK, bangunan security, bangunan pemerintahan, area parkir, menara pengawas, apron, garbarata, main power station, jalan poros belakang, radar dan fuel station sudah selesai 100%. Sedangkan pembangunan DVOR/DME sudah mencapai 95%,  terminal penumpang 85,75% dan runway 65,71%.

Sejumlah pekerja juga terlihat masih mengerjakan lantai dan plafon atap bangunan di terminal penumpang (drop off). Fasilitas lain di dalam terminal tersebut seperti lift, tangga, saluran ventilasi udara, lampu, eskalator hingga pemadam emergency sudah selesai dikerjakan.

Wisnu mengatakan, lahan Bandara Kualanamu dibanding Polonia mencapai 10:1. Untuk itu, pihaknya meminta pembangunannya sebagai rancangan pembuka perekonomian Kabupaten Deliserdang maupun Propinsi Sumut. "Tidak bisa pembangunan ini dilakukan sendiri saja. Harus ada dukungan juga dari pemerintah kabupaten, seperti akses jalan masuk menuju Kualanamu dari Kota Lubukpakam. Pembangunan ini nantinya membawa dampak ekonomi yang besar bagi daerah, " jelasnya.

Dia menegaskan, tidak hanya pemerintah, masyarakat setempat juga diharapkan dukungannya pada pembangunan proyek ini. Sebab, dampak besar dari pembangunan ini adalah peningkatan perekonomian yang besar baik dari sisi pendapatan warga setempat maupun nilai jual tanah di sekitar bandara yang meningkat pesat. “Pertama kali yang menikmati dampak pembangunan ini adalah warga setempat,” tegas pria yang puluhan tahun bertugas di PT AP II Cabang Medan dan menjadi PIU Proyek Bandara Soekarno-Hatta Jakarta ini.

Nama Diputuskan November
Wisnu mengemukakan pula, PT AP II Pusat telah meminta Pemerintah Propinsi (Pemprop) Sumut dan DPRD Sumut untuk secepatnya memutuskan nama Bandara Kualanamu, Deliserdang pada November tahun ini. Penentuan nama bandara ini dibutuhkan secepatnya untuk dilaporkan ke ICAO (Pengawas Bandara Internasional)."Kita juga perlu melakukan perkenalan ke publik nama Bandara Kualanamu ini,” katanya.

Dia menjelaskan,  hal itu perlu dilakukan mengingat ICAO sebagai lembaga pengawas bandara internasional juga membutuhkan waktu memproses nama Bandara Kualanamu yang merupakan bandara baru di Indonesia pengganti Bandara Polonia Medan. "Nama bandara bukan pemerintah pusat atau PT AP II yang menentukan melainkan pemerintah daerah yaitu Pemprop Sumut bersama DPRD Sumut melalui sebuah paripurna. Kita berharap, November ini sudah ada nama baru untuk Kualanamu," ujarnya.

Menurut Wisnu, untuk menentukan nama baru sebuah bandara tidak sulit.  Indikatornya ada dua yakni daerah wilayah bandara dan nama pahlawan atau tokoh daerah yang paling dikenal. Katanya, usulan ada saat ini yakni Bandara Sultan Sulaiman pun layak. “Tapi ya kalau boleh usul, nama bandara itu tidak terlalu panjang supaya pilot  tidak kesulitan menyebutkannya dalam melaporkan keberangkatan pesawat bandara. Apalagi, kalau pilotnya berasal dari luar negeri atau orang bule," tegasnya.

2013, Fasilitas City Check In Bandara Kuala Namu Beroperasi

MEDAN - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) memastikan fasilitas City Check in Bandara Baru di Kuala Namu Sumatera Utara akan segera rampung dan dapat beroperasi pada Januari 2013 mendatang. Meski telah molor dari jadwal semula, namun PT KAI optimistis dengan selesainya 80 persen jalur kereta api dari Medan menuju Kuala Namu, target operasional itu dapat direalisasikan.

Humas PT KAI Divisi Regional Sumut Aceh Hasri di Medan, Selasa (16/10/2012) mengatakan, secara keseluruhan proses pembangunan rel dan terminal city check in di stasiun besar Medan telah rampung sekira 85 persen. Awalnya penyelesaian proyek ditargetkan pada November tahun ini, namun karena beberapa halangan, penyelesaiannya baru dapat dilakukan Januari 2013 mendatang.

"Memang sedikit molor, tapi kan sudah selesai sebelum bandara dioperasikan. Total anggarannya sekira Rp32,4 miliar. Di antaranya pembangunan jalur baru dari Deli Serdang menuju Kuala Namu sepanjang 4,8 kilometer (km) yang memakan anggaran sebesar Rp10,7 miliar, serta peningkatan kualitas rel dari Medan menuju Deli Serdang, serta pengadaan city check in dan armada kereta api. Semuanya kini berjalan lancar, tinggal finishing saja, seperti pemasangan lift dan eskalator, kalau perlengkapan semua sudah siap," jelasnya.

Hasri menyebutkan, dengan beroperasinya City Check ini, nantinya masyarakat hanya membutuhkan waktu paling lama 30 menit untuk sampai ke Bandara Kuala Namu, dengan melewati beberapa stasiun kecil di wilayah Medan dan Deli Serdang.

"Sebagian jalurnya memang jalur eksisting seperti Stasiun Pasar, Bandar Kalifah dan Batang Kuis, tapi kualitasnya sudah kita tingkatkan. Karena berdasarkan perencanaan, jalur tersebut terhitung yang paling singkat dan paling efisien. Diharapkan kehadiran city check ini membuat masyarakat tak lagi merasakan kemacetan di tengah kota jika hendak menuju bandara," tandasnya.

source: okezone.com

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Sriwijaya pilots grounded after landing at wrong airport

Indonesian investigators have opened an inquiry after pilots from local carrier Sriwijaya Air landed at the wrong destination.

Both the captain and the first officer of the aircraft have been grounded in the wake of the incident which is being investigated by the country's National Transportation Safety Committee.

There were around 96 passengers on board the aircraft, says the Indonesian transport ministry, and none was injured.

Sriwijaya Air, which has a fleet of Boeing 737s, had been operating the service to Minangkabau airport in western Sumatra.

But the ministry says the aircraft touched down instead at Padang's Tabing airport - long closed to commercial flights and used only by the air force.

While the two airports are located some 14km apart, they share a close resemblance. Both have a single runway located parallel to, and only a few hundred metres from, the coastline and the runways have a similar orientation - Minangkabau's is designated 15/33 and Tabing's 16/34.

The ministry says the cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders have been secured following the 13 October incident, and will be used to understand the "error".

It states that the event occurred at about 17:00, suggesting the approach took place in daylight, while meteorological data points to good visibility and weather conditions at the time.

Sriwijaya Air had been operating the service from Medan, in the north of Sumatra, as flight SJ21.

source: flightglobal.com