Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia to Trial New Jet Tracking System

'It's going to make, I think, the monitoring of aircraft over these oceanic areas much more effective'

Jakarta Globe – AFP, Mar 01, 2015

Indonesia Search And Rescue vessel navigation tools display a searching
 spot area in the Indian Ocean during a s search operation for the missing
Malaysian Airlines plane flight MH370 on March 15, 2014. (EPA Photo)

Sydney. Australia on Sunday said it was trialling a “world first” system with Malaysia and Indonesia that increases the tracking of aircraft over remote oceans, allowing authorities to quickly react to abnormal situations such as the disappearance of MH370.

It raises the minimum tracking rate for planes flying over remote oceans to 15 minutes from current intervals of 30 to 40 minutes.

The technology “can increase realtime monitoring should an abnormal situation arise,” Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said.

“In a world first, all three countries will trial a new method of tracking aircraft through the skies over remote oceanic areas,” Truss told reporters.

“Now this initiative adapts existing technology used by more than 90 percent of long-haul passenger aircraft and would see air traffic control able to respond more rapidly should an aircraft experience difficulty or deviation from its flight plan.”

The announcement came ahead almost a year after Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board last March. A massive air and underwater search failing to find any evidence of the plane.

While the system was “not a silver bullet,” it would help to improve current methods of tracking ahead of other solutions being developed, Airservices Australia chairman Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston said.

If an aircraft deviates more than 200 feet from its assigned level or two nautical miles from its expected track, the system would automatically monitor the jet more closely, such as every five minutes or almost continuously, he added.

“This is a big step forward. It’s not just changing things, it’s going to make, I think, the monitoring of aircraft over these oceanic areas much more effective,” the head of the air traffic control body said.

“We will have a datum close to where the aircraft ran into trouble, which is in marked contrast to MH370 where the last known position was in the Malacca Straits.”

The trial, using automatic dependent surveillance contract (ADSC) technology, will commence at the air traffic services center in the eastern city of Brisbane before being extended to Melbourne in the country’s south and to Indonesia and Malaysia.

Long-haul jets that use the existing technology include wide-bodied planes such as Boeing’s 380, 777, 330, 340 and 350 models, Truss said.

Agence France-Presse

Soekarno-Hatta airport radar troubled for 40 minutes

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 08/29/2010 3:55 PM

Radar system at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Banten, went into faulty for 40 minutes at around 9 a.m. on Sunday. The trouble caused a little disturbance to several flights on landing position, kompas.com reported.

“We are still investigating the cause of error,” said airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II corporate secretary Hari Cahyono.

The operator managed to switch radar system into manual during the troublesome, resulting no delay so far, added Hari.

Only Five Airports in Indonesia with Administrator’s Offices

Tuesday, 10 March, 2009 | 13:09 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Transportation Department will soon build administrator’s offices at 20 airports this year including in Solo, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Banjarmasin and Manado. 

“It is expected that this will all be done by the end of 2009,” Director General of Air Transportation, Budhi Muliawan Suyitno told Tempo, last Wednesday (4/3). 

Out of 25 airports, only five currently have administrator’s office. 

“These are at Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta, Ngurah-Rai in Bali, Hasanuddin in Makassar, Juanda in Surabaya and Polonia in Medan,” said Budhi. 

The funding for these offices will come from non-tax state revenues. 

The administrator’s offices will increase the monitoring of airport and flight activities. 

WAHYUDIN FAHMI

Indonesia, Australia to cooperate on improving transportation safety

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The governments of Indonesia and Australia signed a landmark agreement to work together to improve Indonesia`s transportation safety, Australian Embassy media release has said.

On the occasion, Australian Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said his country placed great importance on close relationship with Indonesia and the agreements, singed on Thursday, would broaden the levels of co-operation to the benefit of both countries.

"I am honored to be able to visit Indonesia so early in my term as Minister to work towards building on that relationship," Albanese said, adding that Indonesian Minister for Transportation, Jusman Syafi`i Djamal, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation in the Transport Sector during a ceremony in Jakarta.

The Memorandum of Understanding provides the basis for expanding the existing co-operative relationship between Australia and Indonesia.

The Ministers also signed an Annex to the Memorandum of Understanding, establishing the terms for a bilateral package of assistance on transport safety.

Albanese noted the key role of transport to economic growth and development in the region and emphasized it was vital that the transport systems were safe, efficient and secure.

"It is essential the traveling public of both countries have confidence that transport safety is a priority and that lessons from previous transport accidents are being acted upon," said Albanese.

"Australia`s assistance will complement the substantial efforts that the Government of the Republic of Indonesia has already taken to improve the safety of their transport services," he added.

Under the agreement Australia will provide almost Rp 200 billion [$24 million] over three years for a package of training and technical assistance, helping to improve Indonesian transport safety.

"Australia has worked closely with the Government of Indonesia to develop a package of measures to address areas identified by Indonesia as its key safety priorities," said Albanese.

He indicated that projects to be undertaken as part of the assistance package would include: Training of up to 40 Indonesian airworthiness inspectors per year to international standards for the duration of the package; Mentoring and training in air traffic management services; Provision of expertise and guidance on transport safety investigations to enhance Indonesia`s capacity to undertake investigations of transport accidents; and Transfer of technical knowledge and expertise to Indonesian Search and Rescue Operators, ferry operators and maritime vehicle inspection staff.

"Australia`s Rp 200 billion [$24 million] safety assistance package paves the way for even greater goodwill and cooperation between Australia and Indonesia on a range of future transport issues," Albanese said.

Airport employees receive awards

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

A team of experts received an award Friday for designing a backup air traffic control system at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II presented the award to the 13-member team to recognize their contribution to the company.

The backup radar system, which was installed at the airport in September last year, is called the Jakarta Automatic Airtraffic Support System (JAASS). It is used to backup the airport's main traffic control system, known as the Jakarta Automatic Air Traffic Control System (JAATCS).

The chief of the airport's air traffic service department, Wiyono, led the team, who worked on the JAASS project for two years.

A similar system is also currently being developed at Supadio Airport in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

"The bad experience of our main system malfunctioning in 2004 prompted us to design and create a backup system. We know that such a malfunction might occur again in the future," he said.

On March 18, 2004, the JAATCS shut down, delaying 80 flights over a three-hour period at the country's main airport. The delays left thousands of passengers stranded.

The following day, the system malfunctioned again, delaying a further 113 flights.

PT Angkasa Pura II said it was the first time the country's main airport had experienced radar malfunctions.

However, in a similar case in 1998, more than 100 flights were delayed due to an electrical fault that affected the airport's radar encoder.

Wiyono said in the 1998 incident, a computer malfunctioned, resulting in air traffic controllers being unable to access key flight data.

Several flights were rerouted to Halim Perdana Kusuma airport in East Jakarta and officers were forced to resort to a manual air traffic control system. An expert from Canada was called in to solve the problem.

"Unfortunately, the Canadian expert also failed to repair the system," Wiyono said.

He said technicians reinstalled data on the main computer connected to the radar, allowing the system to run as normal again.

Wiyono said if the main system malfunctioned again, the new backup system would automatically replace it and air traffic would not be affected.

"The JAASS system will be installed at all airports across the country," Haryanto said.

During Friday's ceremony, the airport operator also presented awards to 24 other staff members for their contributions to public service and law enforcement.

Among award recipients were the operators of four closed circuit televisions who managed to foil a number of drug smuggling attempts.

The award recipients received certificates and cash prizes.

Haryanto said the company would continue rewarding hard-working employees.

"Such awards will be presented to employees who have contributed something useful to the company," he said.

Wing Air fails to land at Adisucipto airport

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - A Wing Air MD82 plane failed to land at Adisutjipto Airport in Yogyakarta and diverted its flight to Juanda Airport in Surabaya at 02.10 p.m. on Friday because of heavy rain and strong winds.

"Despite heavy rain, the pilot did not have a problem with visibility. But when the Air Wing plane was going to land winds from easterly direction were so strong that captain pilot Yudo decided to divert the flight to Surabaya," Hanad Prayitno, assistant to the service manager of PT Angkasa Pura I which operates Adisutjipto Airport said.

He said wide-bodied planes such as Boeing and Airbus did not have a problem in landing under the circumstances. But because the Wing Air plane was an MD82 it was too risky to land.

The Wing Air plane was originally scheduled to land at Adisutjipto Airport at 05.30 p.m., he said.

Report all problems, airlines told

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The management team at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has instructed airline companies to improve their reporting techniques to avoid fatal accidents in the future.

"Operators should not be afraid to report problems with their airplanes as it is for everyone's own good," head of the airport management's administration team Herry Bakti told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He said improved reporting techniques would prevent the occurrence of minor incidents as well as fatal accidents.

He cited the example of a Lion Air airplane that flew without an engine cap last Tuesday, fortunately avoiding what could have been a fatal accident.

He said if the airline reported the fault earlier, a significant amount of risk could have been eliminated.

A watch tower officer found the large cap on the side of a runway near the international terminal Tuesday morning.

The company reported the fault two days later.

Herry said penalties were yet to be handed down to Lion Air as the incident was still being investigated.

However, initial investigations conducted by the airport's management team confirmed the cap belonged to a McDouglas 90 (MD 90) airplane, which are only operated by Lion Air.

McDouglas 90 aircraft are not currently being operated by Batavia Air and Mandala Air, as reported last week.

Lion Air public relations manager Hasyim Arsal Alhabsi told reporters the company only learned of the damage Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Mandala Air chief executive officer Warwick Brady said improved reporting techniques would not be a problem for his company as safety had always been its top priority.

"Safety starts at the top and we have a professional team of airline veterans from around the world in engineering and flight operations ... to manage our safe and reliable operation," he said.

Brady said each week a safety board convenes to review safety, security and the quality of the airline.

He said the company's 30 new Airbus A320 aircraft would also comply with the highest international standards of airline safety and management.

"All airlines in the world have incidents but the safest ones invest significant resources in safety and take proactive steps to mitigate risks," Brady said.

Another EU team to review air safety

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission (EC), currently on an official visit to Indonesia, said Friday that the commission would send another verification team to speed up a review of air safety in Indonesia.

Speaking to reporters Friday following a meeting with President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono, Barosso said that the flight ban imposed on Indonesian airlines was a "technical matter".

"Let me tell you, the European Union (EU) was also forced to take some measures against European Union airlines, so this is a decision, but it is only on technical grounds," he was quoted as saying by AFP.

In July, the EU banned 51 Indonesian airlines, including national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, from flying to Europe following a series of air accidents here.

Recent crashes included an Adam Air plane that plunged into the sea off Sulawesi island on New Year's Day, killing all 102 people on board, and, in March, a Garuda jet that burst into flames on landing in Central Java, killing 21 people.

No Indonesian airlines fly regularly to and from the EU, but under European rules, passengers must be informed if an airline is on the list of banned carriers and can demand reimbursement or an alternative carrier for tickets bought in Europe for flights that do not enter EU skies.

An expert team from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) visited Jakarta early this month to verify the fight safety standards of the country's major airlines.

Director General of Air Transportation Budhi M. Suyitno said at that time that the results of the verification should have been reported to the EC's regular meeting in Brussels on Nov. 19 (Monday). However, no decision has been announced so far.

"And I said to President Yudhoyono that myself and the European Commission will do everything to speed up all the procedures, to work in close contact with Indonesian authorities so that the issue can be solved in full respect ... for the technical requirements of safety," Barroso said.

"In fact, I'm pleased to say that very soon there will be another mission here working with (our) Indonesian colleagues to do everything to speed up this process of reviewing all the safety conditions," he added.

Barroso acknowledged the measures taken by the government to improve flight safety standards among the country's airlines, saying that such efforts were necessary to protect passengers and ensure the safety of air travel both here and in Europe.

Meanwhile, President Yudhoyono said that he had asked Barosso during the meeting to help lobby for the lifting of the ban and to normalize aviation relations with the EU.

He said that the Indonesian government was committed to improving flight safety standards and would, for this purpose, cooperate with the EU on technical matters.

"I stressed that we were in the midst of serious efforts to improve our regulations and the safety of our aviation industry, and I'm glad that in recent times there have been efforts to rectify the situation," Yudhoyono said. (amr)

Minister: EU team satisfied with RI airline condition

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said the European Union (EU) team that conducted an audit and verification in Indonesia from November 5 to 9, 2007, was in general satisfied with the current condition of the country`s airline companies.

"They were satisfied after auditing the airlines as they saw improvements in the skills of the pilots and crew members, maintenance and others, both hardware and software," the minister told newsmen here Friday.

The EU team led by Frederico Grandini including five experts from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), was in Indonesia from November 5 to 9, 2007, to audit and verify the condition of the Indonesian airlines including the regulators and operators.

The team consisted of Jean-Luis Ammeloot of EASA (Germany), Declan Fitzpatrick (EASA, Ireland), Dick Nederlof (EASA, the Netherlands), Annette Ruge (EASA, Germany) and Auke Tjeerd Sebastian van der Weide (EASA, Germany).

Regarding the regulators (based on their explanations to the transportation minister), the minister said they considered there were a number of things, in this case regulations, which should be improved but they were not the fundamental ones.

"They did not specifically mention (the regulations which need improvement)," Jusman said.

According to the minister, they are now drawing up reports and recommendations which will be handed to Indonesia next Monday (Nov 12) and then to the safety 27-member team of the EU.

"The Air Transportation Director General is invited to their meeting on November 19, 2007, to explain and convince the EU members that improvements had been made," the minister said.

On the EU team`s findings about things that should be improved by the regulators and operators, Jusman said they had yet to make final decisions as they were only a technical team, and no decision makers.

The minister said the most important thing was that he had expressed the Indonesian government`s wish for the lifting of the flight ban against 51 Indonesian airline companies imposed since July 6, 2007.

"Otherwise, the airline companies in Indonesia will find it difficult to grow," the minister said.

He further said they would not directly lift the ban but probably after a phase of evaluation.

On a different occasion, Air Transportation Director General of the Transportation Ministry Budhi M Suyitno said the airlines which were verified and audited by the EU team were Garuda Indonesia, Mandala, Premi Air and Air Fast.

"The four airlines have direct flights to Europe," he said.

The EU team made a surveillance, oversight and verification on the findings in the field and then made recommendations, he said, adding, "Based on the recommendations, we must take measures of correction".

On the possibility that the ban would not be lifted or even extended, Budhi said, "we improve the safety condition not for the EU, but for our own public, then for theirs".

"With or without a ban by outsiders, we must work hard to improve the our flight safety condition," Budhi said.

RI to ask Malaysia to return its control of FIR over Natuna

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News) - Indonesia will ask Malaysia to return the control of its Flight Information Region (FIR) over Natuna Island as a form of Indonesia`s sovereignty over its air space.

"This is one of the topics of discussion between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi in Kuala Lumpur in December 2007," Air Transportation Attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Sahar Andika Putra, said here on Thursday.

The FIR over Natuna Island was previously under the control of Singapore and Malaysia under the Asia-Pacific Regional Air Navigation (RAN) agreement reached in Honolulu in 1973.

Under the agreement, Singapore would control air traffic at altitudes of over 20,000 feet over Natuna Island, and below 20,000 feet over Malaysia.

Since 1995, Singapore was prepared to return the FIR control to Indonesia, but Malaysia was reluctant to do the same, although Indonesia has proposed a revised draft on the FIR in 1999 and 2004.

"The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will approve the draft on the FIR over Natuna if Singapore and Malaysia agreed to it," Sahar said.

He said that the ICAO was merely thinking flight safety. "Singapore has agreed, but we are still waiting for a Malaysian response. Because it concerns Indonesia`s sovereignty, President Yudhoyono will discuss the matter in a meeting with the Malaysian premier," Sahar added.

It seems that Malsysia is not yet prepared to discuss the FIR control over Natuna Island as it concerns a legal regime agreement reached in 1982.

"Indonesia wants the FIR control over the island restored to it, because so far its commercial and military flights through its own air space over the area must be reported to Malaysia`s control tower," he said.

RI aviation industry unsafe: Experts

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA: The visiting U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has found that the growth of Indonesia's aviation industry has not been balanced by the readiness of the regulators, Director General of Air Transportation Budhi M. Suyitno said Thursday.

"Most of the problems concern administrative matters with some technical problems, particularly safety. One is the imbalance between growth and the readiness of its regulators," Budhi said, as quoted by Antara news wires.

The FAA team arrived here several days ago and is spending a month auditing the country's aviation industry, maintenance facilities and the condition of its airports.

All Indonesian carriers have been banned from flying to Europe by the European Commission after a string of accidents.

RI, Aussie forge cooperation in improving performance of flight regulators

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Australia forged a cooperation on a Rp178 billion transportation safety assistance program to improve flight safety.

"The program will be focused on efforts to improve the performance of regulators, managers, safety investigators and flight operators in Indonesia," Susan Page, chairwoman of a visiting Australian delegation to a strategic summit on flight safety in Indonesia, said here on Wednesday.

In a press release issued by the Australian embassy here on Wednesday, Page said the Rp178 billion aid package will in three years be prioritized on efforts to overcome heavy safety challenges of air and sea transportation in Indonesia.

A change in supervision and transportation safety services in Indonesia is part of practical steps to be taken, said Page who is in Indonesia to attend the flight safety meeting this week.

"The outcome of an assessment on transportation safety by the Indonesian government and the International Civil Aviation Organization will be used in a working program we are trying to develop and this information will be followed by a joint workshop in Indonesia in next few months," Page said.

On the sidelines of a meeting in Bali this week, officials of the two countries` transportation services discussed how the aid package could be used.

In the meantime, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer warmly welcomed the news on the progress reached in the Bali meeting in identifying objects that could be the subject of the aid target.

"The Australian transportation institution has cooperated closely with Indonesia as its partner in the past few years including a program funded by Australia, valued at A$1.1 million (Rp7 billion) in the 2006-2007 period. At least 340 Indonesian flight safety officials have been trained in international standards," he said.

Earlier, Chairman of the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA) Rusdi Kirana said the focus of his side`s recommendation was on improvement in quality and quantity of flight personnel in anticipation of the ASEAN aviation liberalization (Open Sky) in 2008.

EU flight ban a 'good' lesson for RI airlines

M. Taufiqurrahman and Andi Haswidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Responding to a looming ban on Indonesian airlines flying to Europe, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that although it would not inflict have any serious financial consequences, it could nevertheless put the future of the domestic airline industry at risk.

"The psychological impact will be great. Imagine people from the Netherlands who want to travel to Bali. They will fly first to Singapore and then take Singapore Airlines to Bali," Kalla told reporters Friday.

He admitted, however, that it should serve as a good lesson for domestic airlines and encourage them to improve their safety standards.

"We can only improve when there is criticism," he said.

The European Commission announced Thursday that it planned to ban all 51 Indonesian airlines from flying to the Europe starting June 6.

The ban comes as national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is considering reestablishing its Amsterdam service, which was discontinued in 2004.

Kalla said that Indonesia's air transportation authorities now had the task of convincing the commission that domestic airlines had taken the necessary measures to improve their safety standards.

"For instance, Garuda has been upgraded to category I, which means that it's a safe airline and this is what Garuda should explain to the European Commission," he said.

Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) chairman Bambang Susantono said he was sure that the ban was the result of a communications failure.

"Some of our airlines, including Garuda, have improved their safety standards and fully comply with the international standards," he told The Jakarta Post.

Bambang also expressed skepticism about how the commission's experts arrived at their conclusions, "I don't remember them coming here to inspect the airlines directly."

However, Bambang said that seeking information from pilots flying in and out of Jakarta might have been one of the ways used to gather information on air safety standards in Indonesia.

Bambang said that the air transportation authorities now needed to mount a public safety campaign to prevent other countries following the commission's decision.

Garuda president director Emirsyah Satar told the Post that the national flag carrier would cooperate with the government, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines to resolve the issue.

Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) executive director Sudaryatno, who has often criticized Garuda, said that the commission's decision might be justifiable if viewed from the safety perspective.

"However, we must also look at this from the perspective the saturated markets that exist in the developed world. We must be careful as this ban could be part of a strategic plan to ruin the reputation of local airlines so that foreign airlines can get a foothold in this country," Sudaryatno said.

"Soekarno Hatta Airport and Ngurah Rai Airport are no longer gateways to Indonesia. They have been replaced by Singapore's Changi. The situation could worsen if the stakeholders in the industry do not take the necessary steps," he pointed out.

Sudaryatno suggested that the government do all in its power to advance the National Sky Policy, the blueprint for the future of the airline industry.

Earlier, the Transportation Ministry's director general for air transportation, Budhi Mulyawan Suyitno, said that ministry representatives would meet with the European Commission in October to explain the latest developments in the Indonesian airline industry.

RI, ICAO to sign joint declaration

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will sign a joint declaration on the country`s commitment to increase flight safety and security in a summit scheduled for July 2-3 on the resort island of Bali, a Transportation Ministry official said.

"The ICAO`s support to increase flight safety is very strategic especially to coordinate cooperation with relevant parties in implementing the global aviation safety plan and the global aviation safety roadmap," head of the ministry`s public relations service Bambang S. Ervan said on Friday.

The Bali meeting would basically be a follow-up to a strategic action plan drawn up by the ministry to implement its aviation safety plan in the country, he said.

Bambang`s statement came a day after the European Commission said all Indonesian airlines and several from Russia, Ukraine and Angola will be banned from flying to the European Union due to safety concerns.

The ban, to be effective on July 6, was recommended by EU experts in response to a series of air accidents in Indonesia early this year.

However, no airline from Indonesia is operating scheduled flights to any European destination. Garuda Indonesia ceased regular services to Amsterdam and Rome in 2005.

Bambang said ICAO President Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez and ICAO Regional Director for Asia Pacific Office Lalit B. Shah were expected to attend the meeting as ICAO`s guests.

In the course of the Bali meeting, a strategic summit on aviation safety would also be held on July 2-3 and a funding agency meeting on July 4. The two meetings would be attended by representatives of international stakeholders to coordinate assistance and adopt an international cooperation scheme for Indonesia, he said.

The international stakeholders consist of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Directorate Generals of Civil Aviation of several friendly countries, and aviation safety experts of civil aviation authorities in the Asia-Pacific region.

A number of domestic stakeholders including the Office of State Enterprises Minister, the Office of State Minister for Administrative Reforms, the Finance Ministry and the Agency for the Application and Assessment of Technology (BPPT).

Also attending the meeting would be representatives from state airport operators PT Angkasa Pura I and II, the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA), the Indonesia Air Traffic Controller Association (IATCA) and the Federation of Indonesian Pilots (FPI), as well as relevant industries such as state aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia, he said.

Air Traffic Controller Urges Single Air Service

Friday, 08 June, 2007 | 14:39 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian Air Traffic Controllers Association (IATCA) urged the realization of having single provider service for all Indonesian air territories. The aim is harmonization of aviation navigation service in Indonesia.

IATCA's President, Adri Gunawan Wibisono, said that aviation navigation service carried out by several service controller units like now causes impediments in terms of coordination. “Every unit has different priorities,” he said during a hearing with the House's Transportation Commission at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, yesterday (7/6).

The hearing was held to gather input for the revision of Decree No. 15/1992 on Aviation.

Indonesia's air traffic service is currently executed by the Transportation Department's Technical Executing Unit; PT Angkasa Pura I; PT Angkasa Pura II; Otorita Batam and private parties.

Coordination is an important matter, said Adri, bearing in mind plane movement flow in the future.

Currently there are 52 domestic and 52 international flight routes crossing Indonesia's air territories.

Adri said the single provider has been recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “In any country, (the provider) is single. Only us, not yet,” he said.

According to him, the apt agency to accommodate single air traffic is a state-owned enterprise. The reason is to simplify bureaucracy. In the meantime, the formation of a public service agency, which was recommended by the Transportation Department, is regarded as causing service quality to decrease. This is because a public service agency will unite the functions of regulator, auditor and operator under one institution.

The Transportation Department has already planned to unite the air traffic service.

Deputy Chairperson of the Transportation Commission, Hardisusilo said that the single provider matter will be included in the inventory. “It depends on factions, their attitude,” he said.

Harun Mahbub

Polonia audited for flight security

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

The Transportation Ministry on Monday initiated a three-day audit of Polonia airport in Medan, North Sumatra to evaluate the airport's security, safety and services.

Polonia airport is one of five major Indonesian airports being audited by the ministry, which is under pressure after a string of aviation disasters.

Juanda airport in Surabaya, East Java, is also currently being audited. Three other airports -- in Bali, Jakarta and Makassar in South Sulawesi -- have already been evaluated by audit teams.

Coordinator of the Airport Performance Evaluation Team, Bahrum Lubis, said the 20-member audit team was focusing on the airports' daily operations, including safety improvement measures, security and services.

He said based on preliminary evaluations, it appears that several airport management teams are not making efforts to improve safety, security and services at their airports.

The audit team is not yet able to announce official results, as the audit and evaluation of the two remaining airports still need to be completed.

"The Transportation Ministry will announce the evaluation results of airport performance after the team has completed its evaluation of Polonia airport in Medan and Juanda airport in Surabaya.

"The announcement will be made in Jakarta, in June," Bahrum told The Jakarta Post on Monday at Polonia airport.

He said the evaluations would not be limited to these five airports, as the team would continue to evaluate other airports around the country.

He said the aim of the work was to improve airport management.

Citing an example, he said Polonia airport management has been advised to pay more attention to flight safety.

The airport was closed for more than two hours last week after a hole was found in its runway. Several days later, an Air Force jet almost suffered an accident when its tires hit holes in the runway that had been filled with gravel.

Head of Polonia airport management, Frido Frinaldo, said the runway has since been repaired and is once again safe to use, blaming rain for causing the potholes.

"In an effort to prevent runway damage, we plan to asphalt one kilometer of runway. This will cost approximately Rp 7 billion (US$777,777)," he said.

He said the work would take one month to complete and the airport would close overnight during this period.

"The airport closure will not disrupt activity, since the repairs will be done from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.," said Frido, adding that all airlines will be notified of the repairs.

Indonesia Model for Air Traffic Management

Thursday, 26 April, 2007 | 12:00 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Indonesia has been appointed as a model country for the application of an air traffic contingency plan to manage world flights.

The appointment was based on the size and strategic value of Indonesia’s aerial area.

The contingency plan is air traffic management that anticipates the disturbance of aviation traffic services guiding by the air traffic service unit.

A disturbance may be caused by natural disasters, technical errors, fires or crimes.

Kyotaro Harano, Regional Officer for Air Traffic Management of the International Civil Aviation Organization Asia Pacific region, has stated that Indonesia’s aerial area has an significant role in the air traffic system of the Asia Pacific region.

“It is used by carriers from east to west and vice versa,” he said after an opening of Air Traffic Management Contingency Plan Finalization Meeting at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, yesterday (04/25).

Kyotaro went on to say that Indonesia was also measured as disaster-prone country--including earthquakes, tsunami waves and volcanic eruptions--as the basis of the appointment.

Those sorts of disasters had the potential to seriously disturb air traffic serviced.

Should a natural disaster cause any dysfunctions at two area control centers in Indonesia, this would affect international flights.

HARUN MAHBUB