Biking in the Metropolis

It is heartening to see an increasing number of bike-parking facilities around the metropolis. Bike racks have recently been spotted at the Aksara book store in Kemang. Another lot have popped up at Plaza Indonesia’s southeast gate. Pondok Indah Mall has reportedly joined the trend. The city’s cyclists are keeping track of the phenomenon on the crowd-sourcing Web site www.klikjkt.or.id. And, of course, our diligent Tweeters are on the pulse, with a recent Tweet reporting a new set of racks at Pejatan Village (this “village” is just another mall, right?).

Malls, it seems, are always the quickest to respond to all our “needs.” The sudden appearance of these bike racks really is an iconic example of how capitalism via consumptivism, the ideology of compulsive consumption, is always capable of transforming itself to respond to any criticism or demand. This is the opinion of my friend, Suryono Herlambang, a professor at a planning school in West Jakarta who has been studying the city’s malls for the past five years. Among his discoveries, Suryono has found that many of Jakarta’s malls have Floor Area Ratios (FARs) that are higher than those sanctioned in the original plans approved by the city, before these plans are “revised” to suit requests from developers.

Bike-parking facilities in Kemang could really reduce car traffic along the main street. Those who live nearby could refrain from using their cars just to shop or go for a meal at the area’s shops or restaurants. Of course, there is also the possibility that some would still say, “I don’t want to bike, because I don’t want to inhale the emissions from all those cars and metrominis!”

The malls are providing bike racks because they want to entertain their clients. What about governments? Shouldn’t they “entertain” their tax-payers? Why can’t we have bike racks in all public buildings? Of course, our government should also start seriously planning bike lanes. I emphasize the word “seriously” because I think cycling is a serious solution for our common future in a world of finite resources.

Some cities around Indonesia have started hosting en-masse biking events for fun on the weekends. Many people join in because they think it is cool and trendy. Of course, if cycling is only taken up for recreational purposes, it is not going to save the earth. But it could be a good start.

Perhaps governments are hesitant to encourage cycling because they think their tax revenue will be reduced if people buy and use less cars. But what about taxing cyclists, like the colonial government did all those years ago? Putting a tax on cycling would mean a new “contract” between citizens and their governments. I wouldn’t mind paying tax on my bike if I knew the revenue would be earmarked for environmentally-friendly projects. Less cars could also mean reduced infrastructure and health care costs. In the meantime, all kinds of new businesses would begin to emerge.

For example, Jakarta’s bike shops, which had almost totally disappeared five years ago, are now re-emerging en masse with the cycling trend. It seems that the transition toward sustainability is not about reducing consumption, but about substituting harmful consumption for more positive purchases.

by Marco Kusumawijaya

Source: The Jakarta Globe

South Korea’s 4 new flying guards

South Korea’s coastguard will induct four Indonesian Aerospace-built CN-235-220 maritime patrol aircraft in 2011.

Two of the new aircraft will enter service in April, and two in August, says the service. According to a report by South Korea’s official Yonhap news agency, the four aircraft were purchased in 2008 for $100 million.

According to IAe, the aircraft has a pressurised cabin and is powered by two General Electric CT7-9C engines, each driving four-bladed propellers. The aircraft has a fuel capacity of 4,000kg (8,820lb) and an endurance of 8-10h. The CN-235 is capable of performing short take-off and landing operations, and has a maximum take-off weight of 16,100kg.

The South Korean air force operates 20 CN-235s, 12 produced by Airbus Military and eight by IAe.

Source: Flightglobal.com

Merpati Soars Higher

Minister for State Enterprises Mustafa Abubakar has encouraged PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Merpati) to cooperate in operating N-219 aircraft built by state-owned plane builder PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI).

“While still too early, cooperation between Merpati and PT DI will become a most favorable mutually beneficial synergy. They will soon sign a contract for the production of 20 N-219s by PT DI for Merpati,” Minister Mustafa Abubakar said after a hearing of Commission VI of the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Monday.

Mustafa said the synergy is a necessary step so that the restructuring of the two companies would reach maximum results.

On the occasion the government along with the House commission VI agreed to inject funds in the form of state capital participation amounting to Rp 516 billion for Merpati, while PTDI had been proposed to get Rp2 trillion from the 2012 state budget.

President director of Merpati Sardjono Jhony Tjitrokusumo said he was in need of 20 new planes for expansion of flight routes.

“It was planned that Merpati will have 20 planes each with 20 seats. We notice that PT DI has the capacity to meet our demands in 2014 and 2015,” he said.

He said the price of an N-219 will reach 4 million US dollars, so that some 80 million US dollars would be needed for 20 units.

“We will seek the funds, but besides the Rp516 billion that we will receive,” he said.

Earlier, Head of Structure Design of PT Dirgantara Indonesa Budi Sampurno said that the N-219 will be flying in 2014.

PT DI said it will soon build the planes and start the certification process in 2013.

Budi also said that for the first sales in 2014 the new planes will be marketed locally, 97 civil planes and 57 military aircraft.

Source: Antara News

Iron Birds in the Sky. Big ones.

Garuda orders four new A330-300s
By Quintella Koh

Garuda Indonesia has placed a firm order for four Airbus A330-300s, which will take the carrier’s A330 fleet to 23 aircraft.

It will also convert three A330-200s, dating from a July 2010 order for six aircraft, to -300 variants, said Airbus.

No engine choice was specified, but Garuda’s existing A330s are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700s.

The airline will use the new -300s on Middle Eastern routes from its hubs in Denpasar and Jakarta.

Garuda also has seven A330-200s and six A330-300s on lease.

Garuda posted a net loss of Rp183.6 billion ($21.5 million) for its fiscal first quarter ended 31 March, down from a net profit of Rp18 billion a year earlier. The loss was caused by higher fuel costs and operating expenses.

As of 31 March, Garuda operated 85 aircraft, up from 73 a year earlier. It aims to retire seven Boeing 737 Classic aircraft this year.

(Flight Global)

Indonesia will produce a new aircraft with the price $ 4 million

PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) will soon complete the newest production of the N-219 aircraft. N-219 aircraft will undergo a certification process in 2013, and expected to air in 2014.

Head of Indonesia Aerospace Structure Design, Budi Sampurno said the plane could have flown in Indonesia because it has been certified FAR 23, the certificate for the type of small aircraft.

For first year sales in 2014, new aircraft will be marketed in Indonesia. Targeted N-219 could sell 154 aircrafts. For 2014, the local target first will produce 97 civilian aircraft, 57 aircraft for the military. The price is approximately U.S. $ 4 million (Rp 34 milliar).

There are some countries who are interested to buy this aircraft, Algeria its one of them. In fact, Algeria’s offer to be able to make the assembly plant there. Also  South Korea show interest to offer help to apply eligibility certificate to fly the N-219 to the United States. South Korea hopes that the N-219 aircraft can operate on sky of their country.

This aircraft will be made 4 units in 2013, two aircraft will be used to test on the air and two other planes to be tested in the laboratory.

N-219 type aircraft has the capacity to carry 19 passengers with a seating pattern of each line contains 3 chairs. To take off this plane only requires a distance of approximately 430 meters and to land requires a distance of about 480 meters. The aircraft is able to perform flight about 5-6 hours for a full refueling.

Taken from Detik Finance

Garuda Indonesia’s love in Airbus

Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia, on Tuesday said it signed a memorandum of understanding with EADS unit Airbus for the purchase of 25 A320 Family aircraft.

Garuda Indonesia is a new customer for Airbus. The MOU covers 15 standard A320s followed by 10 A320neo aircraft for operation by the carrier’s domestic low-cost unit Citilink, replacing its existing 737 fleet.

MarketWatch.com

Superjet and Indonesia

LE BOURGET, June 21 (Itar-Tass) — Indonesia’s air carrier Sky Aviation has signed an agreement of intent to buy twelve airliners Sukhoi Superjet 100.

On April 19, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft supplied its first serial Superjet 100 to Armenia’s air carrier Armavia and on June 9, its second airliner – to Aeroflot.

During its first month Armavia’s Superjet 100 spent over 168 flight hours and carried 2,885 passengers flying a total distance of around 85,800 kilometers.

Sukhoi Superjet 100 is manufactured by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, where Russia’s Sukhoi aircraft maker owns 75 percent of shares and Switzerland’s World’s Wing SA – 25 percent.

(Itar Tass)

Indonesian Air Force One

Indonesia to buy presidential jet from Boeing at $58 mln.

Indonesia will soon have a presidential jet valued at 58 million U.S. dollars following negotiation with the United States aircraft maker Boeing, the country’s largest news portal detikcom quoted an official as saying on Wednesday.

“We have managed to negotiate the price to 58 million dollars from 62 million dollars,” said Minister for State Secretary Sudi Silalahi in a parliamentary hearing.

According to Silalahi, he already wrote to Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo about the purchase plan of Boeing Business Jet 2.

“He signed his agreement on Dec. 27, 2010,” he said.

Following the price agreement, the jet will be assembled by 2012 and it is expected to be completed in 2013.

“A technical team is preparing the interior design,” he said.

Source: Xinhua

Garuda Indonesia Getting Younger and Younger

Garuda Indonesia plans to order up to 50 narrow-body aircraft for its low-cost subsidiary Citilink at the upcoming Paris Air Show.

Half of these will be firm orders while the remaining 25 are options, said Garuda’s CEO Emirsyah Satar. He declined to specify the aircraft type, but said he expects deliveries to begin from 2014.

Citilink currently operates eight Boeing 737 Classics which Garuda plans to retire once it receives new aircraft. Satar has said, however, that this does not necessarily mean that Garuda would favour the 737.

The airline also plans to lease at least five 737s by year-end or early 2012 to help it grow Citilink’s route network. “The new aircraft will come in 2014 and that is too late. So we plan to lease some aircraft before that,” said Satar.

In addition, the airline is still assessing Bombardier and Embraer aircraft for its planned regional jet order. It is looking to order 18 to 25 regional jets to operate on low-density domestic routes, such as from its new hub in Makassar, said Satar.

“We will make a decision by year-end and are in the process of choosing the right aircraft,” he added.

News Source: IATA

FireFlying to the Largest Archipelago

Community airline FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd is planning to fly to more destinations in Indonesia from its main hub at the KL International Airport, Kota Kinabalu and Johor Baru.

Managing director Eddy Leong said plans were already in the pipeline to introduce services to Balikpapan in Kalimantan, Medan, Padang and Palembang in Sumatra.

Indonesia offers good prospects for air travel and is a big market for business and tourists and we want to tap the growing demand for low-cost airlines,” he told StarBiz.

Leong said the airline would probably fly to these destinations under its second phase of expansion when more Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-400 aircraft are added to its fleet.

Leong said the airline would start flying from Johor Baru to Surabaya and Bandung on Aug 14 and 16 respectively and to Bangkok in November.

Earlier at a press conference to welcome the airline’s inaugural flight from Kuching to Johor Baru, he said it would only introduce the Johor Baru-Jakarta route when it had a third Boeing 737-400.

Leong said presently, the airline had placed two Boeing 737-400s, with a seating capacity of 162 each, at Senai airport to serve the Johor Baru-Kuching sector and the Johor Baru-Kota Kinabalu route which would start next month.

We are looking to fly more than one million passengers from our southern hub (Johor Baru) by the end of 2012,” he said.

He said response to the Johor Baru-Kuching sector was good with 70% passenger load factor and a similar load factor was already recorded for the Johor Baru-Surabaya and Johor Baru-Bandung routes starting in August.

Leong said apart from the popularity of Bandung and Jakarta as shopping destinations among Johoreans and Singaporeans, there were also many Indonesian workers in Johor who needed to fly home. Senai.

News Source: The Star/ANN