AirAsia-Tata deal is positive for Indian aviation

Malaysian no-frills carrier Air Asia’s announcement of its Indian joint venture comes at a time when airline companies in India are engaged in a fierce fare war. Is this just coincidental? There is no evidence to prove otherwise.

Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and Air India are fighting a declining passenger traffic and in their bid to keep their “head above water”, as explained in this Firstpostanalysis, are engaged in a “new round of bloodletting”.

This is just one of the bad news from Indian aviation. The government has not made much headway in making its aviation policy friendly for the companies.

The government has not made much headway in making its aviation policy friendly for the companies.Reuters

Almost dead Kingfisher Airlines  itself is a grim reminder of the troubles in the sector.

Though most of the travails of Kingfisher are Chairman Vijay Mallya’s own creation, there are a few, like irrational fuel taxes and airport charges, which the government also has to take the blame for.

Despite this abundance of troubles in Indian aviation, AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes is positive about the sector.

He thinks he can change people’s lives here. In an interview in Mint newspaper today, he has said that it is the driver whom he hired during his travel in India who gave him this confidence.

“This man took 40 hours to get from Madras to Delhi in a train and we were talking about fares (as he drove him around for meetings in Delhi) and how much he would pay to fly and that gave me the confidence to change many people’s lives in India and really create a product which could really be low-cost and make an impact,” Fernandes has been quoted as saying in the interview.

He told CNN-IBN that he hopes to start operations of the three-way joint venture by investing $30-50 million.

He said the company is not deterred by the high ATF rates and airport charges in India. He feels a progressive government with an eye on growth is more important. Clearly, his optimism stems from the recent policy reform initiatives undertaken by the government.

As far as strategy is concerned, he told the TV channel that Air Asia will do it differently from other airlines in India.

“We are here to create a new market, address new routes,” Fernandes told CNN-IBN.

Mallya just became more confident

Among those who have become more confident after the three-way joint venture announcement yesterday is none other than Mallya, whose Kingfisher has not flown a single plane since October.

“With this deal, AirAsia is clearly going after the potential of the domestic market. This is one of the reasons why I have been relentlessly pursuing the re-start of Kingfisher, which I am very confident about with the support from all the stakeholders,” Mallya has been quoted as saying in a report in the Times of India.

Mallya’s confidence about Kingfisher may be a bit misplaced considering the sorry state of affairs at the airline, but the confidence he has about Air Asia’s entry is really something.

Fernandes’s grit and determination is storied. According to this Reuters report, in 2001 he forayed into aviation by buying “the then loss-making AirAsia from Malaysian conglomerate DRB-Hicom for about 33 cents and took on the airline’s debt of $13 million”.

When he started off, the company just had two Boeing planes, one destination and a staff of 250. In five years, he had 30 Boeing 737-300 aircraft and 15 Airbus A320s. It also started flying to more than 45 destinations in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Macau, China, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar, according to this report.

Now the airline flies across more than 20 countries and has five associate companies AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, Philippines’ AirAsia Inc and AirAsia Japan.

The growth is fabulous considering that the company started operations during the tumultuous post-9/11 days.

In the years to follow, Fernandes fought many a battle, against rivals and also the Malayasian government in his bid to clinch routes. He lobbied with various governments in the South East Asian nations to open up the market for low-cost airlines, according to areport in the ToI.

Bigger rivals were forced to follow AirAsia and start low-cost airlines.

The phenomenal success is also because Fernandes is a hands on CEO. Once every month he works as a cabin crew member or supervises loading and unloading, another report in theToI said.

Shining through all these is Fernandes’ determination. “Go with your gut, give it your best bet and you may fail, but don’t give up,” he once said in an interview.

This is the animal spirits that India is lacking in at present. And, naturally, the response to the announcement from India, in Fernandes’ own words, has been “amazing”.

“The Indians are very excited about it. It’s something I am very proud of, it’s something that’s been long in the making,” he told Mint.

One thing is for sure, with the confidence he exudes and people’s goodwill, this Malaysian of Indian origin—his father Stephen Fernandes was an Indian from Goa and mother Ena Fernandes a Malaysian from south India—is all set to change the dynamics of the much-battered Indian aviation.

firstpost.com

Four new domestic carriers set to fly nation’s skies in 2013

Four new domestic airlines are scheduled to begin commercial flights in 2013, giving travelers more alternatives when travelling to domestic and regional destinations.

The Transportation Ministry’s air transportation director, Djoko Murjatmodjo, said in Jakarta on Thursday that the new airlines were Batik Air, Nam Air, Kartika Airlines and Jatayu Air. 

“The airlines are currently processing their flight permits and AOC [Air Operator Certificates]. Batik Air is likely to be the first carrier to fly next year, because they have already obtained their flight permit,” Djoko told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Thursday. 

Batik Air, a subsidiary of the nation’s largest low cost airline, Lion Air, obtained its flight permit in mid-
September and has obtained approval to fly 66 domestic and 20 international routes. 

According to Djoko, Batik Air expects to start service in May using Boeing 737-900 Extended Range (ER) aircraft. 

The other airlines would begin operating in the third and fourth quarter of 2013, Djoko said. “They are still processing their flight permits, so they will need more time than Batik before starting business,” he said. 

Nam Air is a subsidiary of privately-owned Sriwijaya Air, the third-largest domestic carrier in the country after Lion Air and national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. Nam Air will become a full service airline, operating 20 Brazilian-made Embraer 190s to serve airports with short runways. 

In addition, Kartika Airlines will operate Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100s and Jatayu Air plans to operate Boeing 737s. Both carriers plan to enter the full service market, too, Djoko said. 

Kartika Airlines and Jatayu Air are not new players in the country’s aviation industry, having previously offered domestic services in the early 2000s before halting operations. 

According to ministry spokesman Bambang S. Ervan, Kartika started operating from Indonesia’s main gateway, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, in 2001 and stopped service in June 2010, when its flight permit was frozen, requiring the carrier to obtain a new permit before resuming service. Meanwhile, Jatayu Air’s permit was revoked by the ministry in 2007 for failing to comply with safety regulations, he said. 

Contacted separately, Kartika Airlines’ commercial director, Aditya Wardhana, said the airline expected to take delivery of two of 30 Sukhoi Superjet 100s by May 2013.

“In the first phase, we are going to operate 10 Sukhois up to May 2014 to serve medium-haul domestic routes. We will run our operations in the east,” Aditya told the Post over the telephone.

Aditya said that the jets would operate from the airline’s hubs in Makassar, South Sulawesi, and Surabaya, East Java. 

Meanwhile, Sky Aviation is expected to immediately put its aircraft into operation. 

According to the data provided by the ministry’s air transportation directorate general, air passenger traffic in Indonesia has grown at an annual rate of about 20 percent over the last several years, due partly to the entrance of budget airlines.

Last year, for example, the total number of air passengers reached 139.1 million, up 27.5 percent compared to 109.3 million passengers in 2010. Bambang said that the annual number of air passengers was expected to increase to more than 145 million passengers by the end of this year and would likely increase by 15 percent in 2013. 

According to ministry data, commercial airlines have started to enter the secondary city market in force this year, helping the economy to grow more in those cities. 

For example, Wings Air, the feeder airline for Lion Air, currently offers a Jakarta–Banyuwangi service and Susi Air has recently connected Cilacap, Central Java, with three surrounding major cities: Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Semarang. 

Privately owned Sriwijaya Air also connects Malang, East Java, with Makassar, South Sulawesi.


The Jakarta Post

Batik, Malindo gear up for maiden services

Lion Air, Indonesia’s largest low-cost carrier will soon receive 36 new aircraft to support the operation of the company’s two new airlines, the full service Batik Air and mid-service Malindo scheduled to begin operations next year.

Lion director Edward Sirait said the aircraft would be 30 Boeing 737-900 Extended Range (ER) with seating capacity of 177 seats in two classes, or 189 in a single-class layout and six ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. 

“Most of the aircraft will be operated by Malindo Airways which will commence operations in March next year to cater for the growing Southeast Asian market,” Edward said in Jakarta on Wednesday. 

Lion Air will own a 49 percent stake of the new airline with the remaining 51 percent owned by Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defence Industries. The airline will be based in Malaysia. 

Meanwhile, another subsidiary Batik Air flying 10 Boeing 737-900 ER planes, expects to start commercial flights in May. 

The new full service carrier will use six Boeing jets, connecting Jakarta to major cities in the archipelago such as Medan, Denpasar, Manado and cities throughout ASEAN. 

Batik has recently obtained its flight permit and approval to fly as many as 66 domestic and 20 international routes. Currently, the carrier is processing its Air Operator Certificate. 

In the future, Batik will use the Boeing 787 Dreamliners, a wide-bodied jet suitable for long-haul 
international routes.

“By operating Batik and Malindo, our position in Southeast Asia region will be strong and we are ready to face the ASEAN Open Sky in 2015,” Edward said.

Parent company Lion Air and feeder Wings Air will only add six Boeing 737-900 ER and four ATR-72 aircraft to their operations next year. 

“We are not adding many new aircraft to Lion and Wings because we are focusing our business on expanding Batik and Malindo in 2013, but we will connect more major cities with Lion and Wings next year,” he added. Among routes they plan to open next year are Medan–Denpasar and Balikpapan–Denpasar. 

Lion is also set to connect Balikpapan, East Kalimantan with Semarang, Central Java in the middle of December. 

For Wings Air, he said the carrier would increase flight frequency on its five existing routes: Yogyakarta–Surabaya, Surabaya–Banyuwangi, Denpasar–Bima, Denpasar–Waingapu, and Denpasar–Lombok. 

On the Surabaya–Banyuwangi and Denpasar–Bima routes, Wings Air will start to daily flights in mid December up from the current three times a week. 

Lion and Wings will provide 30,000 extra seats from Dec. 22 to Jan. 10, 2013 for travelers during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Routes with expanded capacity include Jakarta–Denpasar, Jakarta–Medan, Jakarta–Ambon, Jakarta–Surabaya, Surabaya–Denpasar, Surabaya–Balikpapan, and Surabaya–Kupang.


The Jakarta Post

Garuda to start building fourth GMF hangar next week

PT GMF AeroAsia, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, is set to begin construction on its fourth hangar in Cengkareng, Banten, on Jan. 30, with investment of US$50 million, to keep up with the airline’s expanding fleet.

The new hangar is expected to enable the company to repair and overhaul more aircraft, helping the firm increase its revenue by 20 percent to $252 million this year. 

“The fourth hangar will ensure that we keep pace with growing demand from our customers, both domestic and international carriers, and deliver the best service to enhance aviation safety in the country,” GMF president director Richard Budihadianto told The Jakarta Post. 

The Garuda Group alone, for instance, will take delivery of 34 aircraft throughout 2013. The aircraft will be among the new planes of parent company Garuda Indonesia and budget carrier Citilink Indonesia.

Garuda and Citilink will operate 24 and 15 new aircraft, respectively.

Garuda’s new aircraft will comprise four Boeing 777-300 Extended Range (ER); 10 B737-800 Next Generation (NG); two Airbus 330-200s; one A330-300; and seven Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen, while Citilink will take delivery of 10 A320s and five Avions de Transport Regional ATR 72-600s.

Besides the Garuda Group, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air and Mandala Air also use GMF’s hangars to maintain and repair their aircraft. 

As for international airlines, Zimbabwe’s Avient Aviation and Afghanistan’s KAM Air are going to use GMF facilities this year. 

“We are going to have more new customers this year,” he said. 

The new Hangar 4 would be constructed on 18,000 square meters of land and would be equipped with a multipurpose docking platform for C-checks or heavy maintenance of narrow-body aircraft, such as the B737 and A320 family, he said.

The hangar will be able to house up to 16 narrow-body aircraft at one time.

“The construction will take approximately one year to complete and we expect it to be operational at the end of 2013,” he said.

As of today, GMF’s existing three hangars can accommodate up to 29 aircraft.

In addition, the company plans to build a fifth hangar, which is aimed to house four wide-body aircraft, including the B747 and A330 series, as soon as it completes the fourth one. 

The fifth hangar is projected to commence commercial operations in 2015.

GMF has also finished its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities for the sub-100 Bombardier jet in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

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

Garuda signed a contract to purchase 18 Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen airplanes at the Singapore Airshow in February last year 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, west of Jakarta, and has been certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), giving it a competitive advantage as an MRO company.


The Jakarta Post

GMF seals $60m deal with 4 African airlines

PT GMF AeroAsia, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, has secured a US$60 million deal to maintain and repair the aircraft of four African airlines.

The airlines, which will use GMF‘s facilities in Cengkareng, Banten, were identified as HAK Air, a Nigerian airline that has purchased several older aircraft from Garuda Indonesia; Kabo Air, a Kano, Nigeria-based international charter and haj flight airline; Max Air, a Lagos-based charter airline; and Service Air.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the deal was signed by GMF president director Richard Budihadianto and the airline chiefs in Abuja, Nigeria, and was witnessed by Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, Garuda Indonesia president director Emirsyah Satar, Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman M. Chatib Basri and other senior Indonesian officials.

“We are going to maintain and repair their Boeing B747 and B737 series starting this year,” Richard said in a statement made available on Tuesday.

“This deal also increases our reputation as a global player in the MRO [maintenance, repair and overhaul] business because we are now able to expand our service to the African market,” Richard said according to the statement. 

GMF, whose customers include carriers based in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, also inked a deals with several Nigerian companies to build MRO facilities in Nigeria.

He said that the new facilities would focus on frame maintenance, component maintenance and engineering support. Emirsyah said that he was proud that Garuda Indonesia’s subsidiary had become an international-class company that could enter the African market.

“This expansion is in line with Garuda’s Quantum Leap 2011 to 2015 program. GMF AeroAsia is on the right path to become a global player. As the parent company, Garuda fully supports all of GMF’s expansion into the international arena,” Emirsyah said. 

The firm recently began work on a $50 million project to build a fourth hangar to meet growing demand from domestic and international carriers. The hangar, under construction on a 64,000-square-meter plot, will be able to house up to 16 aircraft when complete. 

GMF plans to build four more hangars — in Cengkareng, Banten; Medan, North Sumatra; Makassar, South Sulawesi; and Biak, Papua — over the next five years.

The additional hangars will boost GMF handling capacity to 200 aircraft a year, up from a current 100 planes.

The firm previously said it wanted to book a 20 percent bump in revenue to $260 million this year.


The Jakarta Post

Garuda launches engine test facility

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, through its subsidiary GMF AeroAsia, has officially launched the operation of its CFM56-7B engine test facility in Cengkareng, Banten, to better develop GMF’s capacity for aircraft repair.

The engine test facility, developed in cooperation with US firm General Electric (GE) and CFM International, a joint venture company between GE and Snecma of Safran Group, will enable GFM to improve its engine maintenance capability in accordance with international safety and maintenance standards. 

The facility was officially launched by Garuda Indonesia president director Emirsyah Satar, GE chairman and CEO Jeffrey R. Immelt, GMF president director Richard Budihadianto and witnessed by Industry Minister MS Hidayat. 

“Building the CFM56-7B engine test facility is an important milestone for Garuda Indonesia and GMF AeroAsia in realizing our 
goal to become a center of excellence in Southeast Asia. As Garuda will operate more Boeing B737-800 Next Generation planes, the facility will support our expansion,” Emirsyah said.

The facility will be used to test plane engines to meet stringent parameters before they are installed on planes. It comprises a large chamber whereby the engines will be tested through sensors that mimic various actual flying conditions. 

He said that the engine test facility would also mean GMF AeroAsia would be able to overhaul aircraft with CFM56-7B engines by the end of 2015. In the first stage, the development will involve engineers from GE and CFM International. 

He expects GMFAeroAsia to be able to maintain and overhaul 150 engines a year starting in 2016. 

In addition, the GMF president said that there were 314 aircraft with CFM56-7B engines operating in Indonesia and another 566 in Asia Pacific at present. As the number of these engines was expected to increase at an average of 13 percent annually until 2020, it gave huge scope for GMF to tap into 
that market, he said. He added that the new facility would help the firm to reap US$375 million in revenue in 2015. 

Immelt said that GE was pleased to further support Garuda Indonesia in its strategic step to becoming a world class airline by improving its service and maintenance

Tke Jakarta Post

Krisis Boeing, Maskapai Gunakan Pesawat Tua

Beberapa maskapai Eropa mengaku akan menggunakan pesawat yang lebih tua, bahkan dengan usia pesawat 30 tahun, untuk mengisi kekosongan armada dan mengangkut penumpang.

Krisis Boeing 787 Dreamliner membuat para maskapai menggunakan pesawat tua untuk menggantikan 787 yang dilarang terbang. Hal ini tentu saja membahayakan keselamatan penumpang.

Beberapa maskapai Eropa mengaku akan menggunakan pesawat yang lebih tua, bahkan dengan usia pesawat 30 tahun, untuk mengisi kekosongan armada dan mengangkut penumpang.

LOT Polish Airlines mengatakan pihaknya menggunakan Boeing 767 untuk mengisi kekosongan yang ditinggalkan oleh 787 Dreamliner. Thomson Airways dan Norwegia Air Shuttle yang dijadwalkan akan menerima pengiriman Dreamliner mengatakan mereka akan menggunakan pesawat lain.

“Mengandalkan pesawat tua tentu saja beresiko bagi pemasaran, Maskapai yang biasanya membuat jadwal rute penerbangan dari bulan-bulan sebelumnya, kini semakin sulit menentukan jadwal,” ujar Colm Barrington, CEO Fly Leasing Dublin.

“Krisis 787 Dreamliner juga telah mengakibatkan permintaan untuk A330 dan 767 semakin tinggi,” tambahnya.

Boeing Dreamliner dilarang terbang sejak awal tahun ini karena mengalami gangguan pada aki yang dapat memicu kebakaran. Hal ini terjadi pada sebuah penerbangan Japan Airlines.

Boeing pun terpaksa menunda pengiriman pesawat 787 baru ke sejumlah maskapai hingga batas waktu yang tidak ditentukan, sambil menunggu hasil investigasi terhadap aki yang bermasalah.

Penulis: Faisal Maliki Baskoro/FMB

Sumber:Bloomberg

http://www.beritasatu.com/eropa/96735-krisis-boeing-maskapai-gunakan-pesawat-tua.html 

GMF dan Airbus Bangun Training Center di Asia Tenggara

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA -Bengkel pesawat milik Garuda Indonesia, PT GMF AeroAsia bersama Airbus menyepakati kerjasama pengembangan pelatihan perawatan pesawat dengan GMF AeroAsia.

Direktur Utama GMF AeroAsia, Richard Budihadianto dan EVP Customer Services Airbus, Didier Lux telah menandatangani Memorandum for Maintenance Training Collaboration di Farnborough International Airshow 2012, di Farnborough, Inggris, Rabu (11/7/2012).

"Kerjasama dengan Airbus ini akan membantu kami meningkatkan jasa MRO kami,  dan memperoleh manfaat dari standar yang  tinggi serta teknologi terbaru  yang dimiliki Airbus dalam pelatihan perawatan pesawat," kata Richard dalam rilis tertulisnya.

GMF AeroAsia dan Airbus memulai kesepakatan pada saat Singapore Airshow 2012 bulan Februari 2012 lalu, di mana Airbus menjelaskan rancangan kerjasama pengembangan trainingnya. Lalu, Airbus melakukan kunjungan ke GMF pada tanggal 17 April 2012 untuk menjajaki kemungkinan kerjasama. Dari hasil kunjungan itu Airbus memastikan kerjasama pengembangan training bersama GMF. "Kerjasama ini adalah langkah awal menuju kemitraan yang lebih strategis," kata Richard Budihadianto.

EVP Customer Services Airbus, Didier Lux mengatakan bahwa mereka sangat mengharapkan adanya kerjasama dengan GMF AeroAsia ini. "Saling berbagi pengalaman jangka panjang ini akan memanfaatkan kekuatan kita masing-masing. Hal ini tidak hanya akan menguntungkan para costumer, tetapi juga membantu mempercepat perkembangan Airbus di pasar Indonesia. Hal ini juga menunjukkan bagaimana Airbus menerapkan regionalisasi visi untuk lebih dekat dengan pelanggan,” kata Didier Lux.

PT GMF AeroAsia Ditunjuk Jadi ASF Pesawat Bombardier

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA - Pabrikan pesawat asal Kanada, Bombardier Aerospace Commercial Aircraft secara resmi menunjuk anak usaha PT Garuda Indonesia, PT GMF AeroAsia menjadi Authorized Services Facility (ASF) untuk pesawat-pesawat Bombardier di Asia Pasifik.

Penandatanganan letter of intent (LOI) penunjukan dilakukan Jumat (8/6/2012) oleh Dirut GMF Richard Budihadianto dan President Commrecial Bombardier, Mike Arcamone.

Dirut GMF Richard Budihadianto mengatakan, penunjukan ini juga terkait dengan rencana Garuda untuk mengoperasikan pesawat Bombardier yaitu tipe CRJ1000 Next Generation yang akan dioperasikan mulai Oktober 2012. Nilai investasi bengkel perawatan Bombardier diperkirakan memakan dana 2 miliar dolar AS.

"Pengadaan bengkel akan dilakukan secara bertahap, sesuai rencana yang disusun bersama Bombardier," kata Richard dalam rilis tertulis GMF yang disampaikan kepada redaksi Tribunnews.com, Jumat (8/6/2012).

Menurutnya, GMF akan siap memberikan perawatan mulai September 2012 atau sebulan sebelum pesawat Bombardier datang ke Garuda. "Pertama perawatan yang dilakukan adalah perawatan ringan (A-Check). Dua tahun kemudian akan melakukan perawatan besar seperti turun mesin," ujarnya.

Dia menyebutkan, bengkel pesawat yang akan dibangun berada di wilayah-wilayah yang diterbangi Bombardier yaitu Makassar. Nantinya akan menyusul Medan, Balikpapan, Surabaya dan Bali.

Mendag Minta Maskapai Mereparasi Pesawat di Dalam Negeri

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA --Menteri Perindustrian MS Hidayat meminta kepada maskapai-maskapai nasional agar mereparasi pesawat-pesawat mereka di Indonesia saja. Saat ini telah ada bengkel pesawat yang telah mumpuni dan bisa dipercaya menjadi tempat perawatan dan perbaikan pesawat.

Hidayat mengatakan, dengan adanya engine test cell dari GMF AeroAsia membuat perawatan pesawat akan semakin mudah. Diharapkan dengan adanya fasilitas tersebut semua perawatan dan servis mesin pesawat dapat dilakukan di Indonesia.

"Jangan lagi dikit-dikit maintenance di luar negeri, yang luar negeri saja (maintenance) ke sini," kata MS Hidayat di Cengkareng, Rabu (20/2/2013).

Hidayat menuturkan, Garuda Indonesia sudah memasuki era industri, dari semua semua industri penerbangan yang ada di Indonesia. "Jadi selama ini Garuda hanya sebagai konsumer besar melayani domestik dan luar negeri. Namun, pada era sekarang ini sudah masuki industri, dimulai dengan maintenance prepair, engine dengan sertifikat General Electric (GE)," kata Hidayat.

Lebih lanjut Hidayat mengatakan, Kemenperin akan memberikan dukungan yang penuh untuk diberikan kepada Garuda Indonesia, yang penting engineering industrinya akan dilakukan di Indonesia dan juga dukungan dari GE sebagai perusahaan pesawat terbang nomor satu di dunia yang akan memberikan sertifikat.

"Kalau pihak Garuda tidak butuh tax yah nggak usah, tapi kalau dia membutuhkan misalnya Pajak Penjualan atas Barang Mewah (PPnBM), nanti akan kita pertimbangkan. Waktu saya diundang ke acara airshow oleh Emir, saya disuruh nonton jual beli pesawat, dia beli mulu. Waktu itu saya minta, industri maintenance dan komponet pesawat semuanya dilakukan disini," tambah Menperin.

Kebutuhan Teknisi Bengkel Pesawat Capai 5.000 Orang

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA --Menjelang pemberlakuan Asean Single Aviation Market (ASAM) pada 2015, perusahaan-perusahaan bengkel pesawat di Indonesia pun harus ikut bersaing memberikan layanan reparasipesawat-pesawat milik maskapai di Indonesia.

Wakil Menteri Perhubungan Bambang Susantono mengatakan, bisnis perusahaan MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) atau bengkel pesawat di Indonesia terus berkembang. Akibatnya terus menciptakan lapangan usaha bagi masyarakat. "Sekarang kita butuh teknisi MRO sebanyak 5.000 orang hingga lima tahun ke depan," kata Bambang saat membuka seminar yang digelar Indonesia Aircraft Maintenance Shop Association (IAMSA), Rabu (21/11/2012).

Kebutuhan tersebut, jelasnya, sebagai bagian dari langkah IAMSA untuk meningkatkan pelayanan perusahaan MRO kepada maskapai-maskapai di Indonesia. Menurutnya, maskapai-maskapai di Indonesia masih banyak yang merawat pesawatnya di luar negeri, padahal di Indonesia sudah banyak perusahaan MRO, seperti GMF AeroAsia dan Merpati Maintenance Facility (MMF).

"Saat ini MRO di Indonesia baru dapat merawat sebanyak 30 persen saja. Dalam lima tahun ke depan kita ingin agar bisa ditingkatkan menjadi 50 persen atau 60 persen," ujarnya.

Apalagi pada saat ini, dunia penerbangan di Indonesia tumbuh sangat cepat. Pada 2012 ini, jelasnya, pertumbuhan diperkirakan bisa mencapai 15 persen. Jumlah pesawat jetnya pun meningkat dari 308-an menjadi 400 lebih pada 2012 ini.

Sementara Ketua Umum IAMSA, Richard Budihadianto mengatakan, pihaknya sedang mempersiapkan diri dalam persaingan di ASAM 2015 mendatang. "ASAM menjadi tantangan bagi idustri penerbangan dan industri perawatan pesawat. Pasar akan tumbuh dan kita harus memberikan layanan penuh dengan meningkatkan kualitas, kapabilitas danb kapasitas, agar bisa menyerap pasar domestik dan internasional," kata Richard yang juga Dirut PT Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) AeroAsia.

GMF Alokasikan Rp 500 Miliar Untuk Bangun Hanggar

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, BANTEN - PT GMF AeroAsia mengalokasikan dana sebesar Rp 500 miliar untuk membangun hanggar keempatnya di Bandara Soekarno Hatta. Richard Budihadianto, Direktur Utama GMF AeroAsia, investasi tersebut berasal dari kas internal dan pinjaman dari Bank BNI.

"Porsi pembiayaannya 70-30," kata Richard usai pemancangan tiang pertama di Kawasan Bandara Soekarno-Hatta, Banten, Rabu (30/1/2013).

Richard menuturkan, hanggar keempat MGF ini memiliki luas mencapai 64.000 meter persegi. Pembangunan akan memakan waktu selama 17 bulan. "Hanggar 4 ini ditargetkan beroperasi pada Juli 2014," kata Richard.

Hanggar keempat ini dirancang dengan konsep butterfly terdiri dari dua wing, area perkantoran dan workshop dibagian tengah. Satu wing khusus digunakan untuk perawatan pesawat Garuda dan satu wing untuk non Garuda baik domestik maupun internasional.

Hanggar ini mampu menampung 16 pesawat berbadan kecil (narrow body) untuk melaksanakan perawatn secara bersamaan. Dari 16 bay yang ada, satu bay digunakan sebagai fasilitas painting

GMF Jadi Pusat Perawatan Produk B/E Aerospace

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, BANTEN - PT GMF AeroAsia, mendapat kepercayaan dari BE Aerospace, produsen utama produk-produk interior dan kabin pesawat dari Amerika Serikat, untuk menjadi Approved Service Center produk-produk B/E Aerospace. "Kerja sama ini untuk meningkatkan kapabilitas GMF dalam perawatan kabin dan interior pesawat," kata Richard Budihadianto, Direktur Utama GMF.

Pengembangan GMF dalam perawatan kabin dan interior pesawat sebagai bentuk dukungan terhadap program Quantum Leap Garuda Indonesia dan mendukung Garuda Indonesia meraih Skytrack bintang 5. Salah satu persyaratan Skytrack bintang 5 adalah mencakup aspek penampilan kabin, kebersihan, dan fungsionalitas fitur-fitur di dalam kabin pesawat.

"Selama ini produk-produk B/E Aerospace seperti seat, galley dan komponen sudah terpasang di armada Garuda Indonesia," katanya.

Melalui kerja sama ini, GMF AeroAsia akan mengerjakan perawatan dan perbaikan berbagai jenis seat pesawat buatan B/E Aerospace untuk pengembangan cabin line maintenance. Selain itu, GMF juga melaksanakan perbaikan (repair) produk-produk B/E Aerospace dengan status sebagai Approved Service Center (ASC).

"Pengembangan repair juga termasuk repair untuk galley insert dan cabin part," tambahnya.

Untuk mendukung peran GMF sebagai ASC, B/E Aerospace juga akan memberikan dukungan suku cadang melalui Integrated Materials Management (IMM).

Richard mengatakan, kerja sama ini akan terus berkembang karena B/E Aerospace siap memberikan dukungan berupa manufacturing cabin part untuk produk-produknya. Dengan dukungan ini, seat-seat untuk pesawat komersial buatan B/E Aerospace dapat diproduksi di Indonesia. "Karena itu, kita juga melakukan pemasaran bersama produk-produk B/E Aerospace untuk pasar domestik dan regional,” katanya.

Dengan menjadi Approved Service Center untuk produk-produk B/E Aerospace, GMF AeroAsia telah memasuki industri manufaktur kabin pesawat sehingga peluang mengembangkan bisnis perusahaan semakin besar. Dukungan penuh B/E Aerospace ini tidak lepas dari kemampuan GMF AeroAsia dalam melakukan perawatan kabin dan interior pesawat, terutama yang menggunakan produk B/E Aerospace.

"GMF AeroAsia juga dinyatakan lulus dan memenuhi syarat dalam audit B/E Aerospace yang dilaksanakan pada tahun 2012 yang lalu," ujarnya.

Indonesia AirAsia Buka Enam Rute Baru

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA - Indonesia AirAsia semakin memantapkan ekspansinya dengan membuka rute-rute regional. Dalam waktu dekat, Indonesia AirAsia dipastikan segera membuka rute Semarang-Singapura.

Berdasarkan keterangan resmi yang diterima Tribun, rute Semarang-Singapura akan terbang perdana pada 7 Februari 2013.

Selain membuka rute Semarang-Singapura, Indonesia AirAsia juga membuka lima rute barunya yaitu Makassar-Kota Kinabalu, Makassar-Kuala Lumpur, Makassar-Surabaya, Makassar-Bali, dan Makassar-Manado. Untuk rute-rute penerbangan baru dari Makassar akan terbang perdana pada 1 Maret 2013.

Untuk merayakan peluncuran enam rute baru ini, Indonesia AirAsia menawarkan harga kursi penerbangan hemat yaitu mulai dari Rp 299.000. Penawaran menarik tersebut bisa didapatkan melalui website AirAsia, www.airasia.com, kantor penjualan AirAsia Indonesia, serta travel agent terdekat mulai 17 Januari-27 Januari 2013, dengan periode penerbangan mulai dari 9 Februari 2014.

Para pelanggan juga dapat menghubungi call center AirAsia Indonesia di (021) 29270999 untuk pemesanan kursi penerbangan dan informasi lebih lanjut mengenai promo ini.

Layanan penerbangan menuju Singapura merupakan rute internasional Indonesia AirAsia pertama di Semarang dengan kode penerbangan QZ. Sebelumnya, perseroan telah menghubungkan Ibu Kota Provinsi Jawa Tengah ini dengan Jakarta dan Surabaya. Sementara untuk Makassar, Indonesia AirAsia akhirnya memenuhi permintaan masyarakat disana yaitu membuka rute penerbangan menuju Kota Kinabalu dan Kuala Lumpur, serta memperluas jaringan rute domestiknya.

“Kami sangat senang karena kini dapat menghubungkan Semarang dengan Singapura serta memperluas jaringan rute di Kawasan Timur Indonesia. Para pelanggan di Semarang juga Makassar kini akan dapat terbang menuju negara tetangga dan kota besar di Indonesia lainnya,” ujar Dharmadi, Presiden Direktur AirAsia Indonesia, Kamis (17/1/2013)

Rencananya enam rute tersebut akan diterbangi dengan menggunakan pesawat Airbus A320.

Pesona Singapura telah membius banyak wisatawan dari Indonesia. Kota tersebut memiliki berbagai atraksi wisata yang sangat menarik, mulai dari wisata budaya, wisata edukasi, sampai wisata belanja. Kota Kinabalu terkenal akan pemandangan di daerah pegunungan dan pantai di pulau-pulau terpencil yang memukau.

Sedangkan Kuala Lumpur adalah sebuah kota metropolitan lengkap dengan obyek wisata dan kuliner yang beragam. Dari Kuala Lumpur, para penumpang AirAsia Indonesia juga dapat melanjutkan perjalanan ke berbagai destinasi yang ada di negara Cina, India, Australia, Jepang, dan Korea Selatan.

Dengan dibukanya rute menuju Bali, Manado, dan Surabaya, masyarakat di Makassar juga akan memiliki lebih banyak pilihan tujuan wisata di dalam negeri. Mereka kini dapat dengan mudah terbang menuju Pulau Dewata, menikmati keindahan pemandangan bawah laut di Pulau Bunaken, atau sekedar menantikan indahnya matahari terbit di Gunung Bromo.

Untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai AirAsia, silakan kunjungi www.airasia.com. Anda juga bisa mendapatkan informasi terbaru dari AirAsia Indonesia melalui Facebook (www.facebook.com/AirAsiaIndonesia) dan Twitter (www.twitter.com/AirAsiaID).

Garuda dan GE Kembangkan GMF

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA - Garuda Indonesia dan General Electric (GE) meluncurkan engine test cell untuk Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF AeroAsia). Bagi Garuda engine test cell yang baru ini untuk mengembangkan kemampuan pemeliharaan dan servis mesin (engine shop capabilities) dari GMF AeroAsia.

Fasilitas engine test cell ini berfungsi untuk menguji mesin pesawat guna memenuhi persyaratan sebelum dipasang pada sayap pesawat, dikembangkan bersama oleh GE dan CFM International. Engine test cell ini terdiri dari sebuah ruang besar dimana mesin pesawat akan digantung dan diukur melalui berbagai sensor yang menyerupai berbagai kondisi terbang nyata.

Menurut Direktur Utama Garuda Indonesia, Emirsyah Satar pengembangan kapasitas pengujian mesin (engine test cell) ini merupakan prestasi penting bagi Garuda Indonesia dan GMF AeroAsia dalam upaya membangun kemampuan pemeliharaan dan servis mesin pesawat (engine shop capabilities), dan untuk menjadi sebuah center of excellence dalam hal pemeliharaan dan servis mesin pesawat di ASEAN.

Dengan fasilitas engine test cell yang baru ini maka kami akan memlihara dan memperbaiki sendiri mesin-mesin dari armada Boeing 737-800 yang jumlahnya terus meningkat.

"Dengan peluncuran Engine Test Cell CFM56-7B GMF AeroAsia akan memiliki 'full overhaul capability' untuk mesin CFM56-7B di tahun 2015, dan akan mencapai kapasitas penuh untuk dapat memelihara 150 mesin per tahunnya untuk memenuhi kebutuhan pasar pada tahun 2016," kata Emirsyah Satar di Cengkareng, Rabu (20/2/2013).

Presiden Direktur GMF AeroAsia, Richard Budihadianto mengatakan, hingga hari ini terdapat 314 mesin CFM56-7B yang beroperasi di Indonesia, dan 556 mesin di Asia Pasifik. Jumlah penggunaan mesin ini terus meningkat sebesar 13 persen per tahun hingga 2020.

"Angka ini menunjukkan potensi pasar yang dapat digarap GMF," kata Richard.

Lufthansa opens tender for 100 narrowbodies, eight widebodies

Boeing and Airbus are now entering into discussions with Lufthansa to claim newly-authorised orders for eight widebody aircraft and 100 single-aisle aircraft, the German flag carrier says today.

Lufthansa's supervisory board in a meeting earlier today cleared the company's executives to begin the negotiations with the airframers.

Lufthansa currently operates a mix of Airbus and Boeing widebodies and narrowbodies, but plans to phase out a fleet of 17 Boeing 737-300s and 22 737-500s by 2016.

Lufthansa already signed an order in July 2011 for 25 re-engined A320neos and five A321neos powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines.

Airbus plans to introduce the A320neo into service in 2015, and Boeing schedules entry into service for the re-engined 737 Max in 2017.

Lufthansa last selected the 747-8I on the widebody side of the fleet with a 20-aircraft order that has been reduced to 19. It also operates A330, A340s and A380s.

The negotiating process was launched as Lufthansa posted a net profit in 2012 of $1.32 billion (€990 million) on a 4.9% increase in revenues to $40.1 billion.

Lufthansa chief executive Christroph Franz cautioned against interpreting the results as so positive that the carrier can be allowed to slow its ongoing restructuring process.

"It is now all the more important to invest all available resources in the Group in order to drive that future programme forward," Franz says. The partially-release financial update includes restructuring costs of $213 million that includes the beginning of a transfer of flight operations by Austrian Airlines to Tyrolean Airways.

flightglobal.com