Tuesday, July 03, 2012

GMF AeroAsia to build $52m hangar in September

PT GMF AeroAsia, a subsidiary of national flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia, is going to construct its fourth hangar in September with investment of US$52 million to keep up with Garuda’s expanding fleet.

The new Hangar 4, which will be used to hold aircraft in protective storage, will also enable GMF to repair and overhaul more aircraft, helping it to generate more revenue.

“The aviation industry in the country continues to grow because every airline expands its fleet. This hangar will ensure that we keep up with growing demand and deliver the best services to enhance aviation safety in Indonesia,” GMF’s corporate secretary, Dwi Prasmono Adji, told The Jakarta Post.

The Garuda Group, for instance, will operate 194 aircraft, with an average fleet age of five years by the end of 2015, through its Quantum Leap program. Meanwhile, the country’s largest budget carrier, Lion Air, will operate as many as 178 aircraft by the end of 2016.

Lion and private carrier Sriwijaya Air also use GMF’s hangars, in addition to Garuda.

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 heavy maintenance of narrow-body aircraft, such as the Boeing-737 family, according to Dwi.

The hangar will also be able to house 16 narrow-body aircraft at the same time.

“Construction will take approximately one year and we expect it to be operational by the end of 2013,” said Dwi.

GMF facilities currently cover 480,000 square meters of built-up floor space, comprising the 22,000-square-meter Hangar 1, and Hangars 2 and 3, which cover 23,000 square meters each.

The existing three hangars are now able to accommodate as many as 29 aircraft.

GMF was also planning to build a fifth hangar, which would house four wide-body aircraft, including the B-747 series and Airbus 330s, at the same time after the fourth hangar’s construction has been completed, Dwi added.

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

GMF plans to spend $17 million in investment throughout this year to increase its capability to carry out an overhaul of the B-737 Next Generation series and A-320s’ landing gear. These two planes were currently the most popular ones in the world, Dwi said.

“Local carriers don’t have to send their aircraft to have their landing gear overhauled abroad anymore because GMF already has the facilities. This will also help the carriers to reduce their operating costs,”
he added.

GMF will be able to provide the overhaul service for A-320 aircraft in the middle of next year as the company is currently developing the facilities. The new overhaul facilities will help the firm to collect $113 million in additional revenue.

As of today, GMF AeroAsia has facilities to undertake A-Check — light maintenance — to D-Check, the most comprehensive checks for an airplane. It has also been able to conduct Section 41 modification work on Boeing 747s for the
last 10 years.

Section 41 modification involves replacing or reinforcing the aircraft’s skin, frame, stringer, intercostals and other components in the nose area of Section 41, based on the Service Bulletin published by the US-based Boeing Company.

Source:  http://www.thejakartapost.com

Jamaica Defence Force Air Wing marks 49 years today

 
Major Victor Beek ran the JDF Air Wing alone for several months

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Air Wing will observe its 49th anniversary today with a luncheon at Up Park Camp, the army headquarters in Kingston.

According to Major Victor Beek (retired), the luncheon will be attended by army veterans as well as some current members of the Air Wing.

Yesterday, Major Beek, a World War II Royal Air Force veteran, told the Jamaica Observer that the Air Wing was established on July 3, 1963 after he was invited to take charge of the unit by the then chief of staff, Paul Crook.

A few days later, Beek said, the American Government sent the unit an Independence anniversary gift of four single-engine Cessna 185 aircraft.

It took several months before three additional pilots were added to the unit, and during that time the Air Wing was referred to as the 'One Man Air Force'.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com

Cape Air flights out of Quincy Regional Airport (KUIN) are on the rise


QUINCY, Ill. (WGEM) -- The number of passengers flying out of the Quincy Regional Airport continues to increase. 

 Since Cape Air took over the air service in December, passenger boardings are on an upward trend and are running 10.6 percent ahead of year-to-date 2011 boardings and 37.6 percent ahead of year-to-date 2010 boardings.

In June alone, the number of passengers was 789 in 2011 and 848 in 2012.  The year-to-date total for this year is already at 451 more boarders than last at this time last year.

If Cape Air transports 10,000 passengers out of Quincy by the end of the year, the city will qualify for $1 million of Federal Grant money for capital infrastructure and safety improvement projects at the Quincy Regional Airport.

Last year, Cape Air was assigned to provide essential air service to Quincy for a four-year period from December 1, 2011 to November 30, 2015.

The service operates nonstop to and from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport using nine-passenger Cessna 402 aircrafts.

Cape Air said they plan to continue providing safe, reliable, and convenient air service to the Tri-State area at a cost effective price.

If you are looking into flying with Cape Air, visit the ticket office at 727 Hampshire St.

Source:   http://www.wgem.com