Merpati's CN-235s may fly again<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After having been grounded since 1999, locally-assembled CN-
\n235 fixed-wing aircraft belonging to PT Merpati Nusantara Airline
\nwill likely fly again once the company gets the finances to
\noperate them, the airline said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Merpati president Wahyu Hidayat told a media conference that
\nthe airline currently has 11 CN-235 aircraft; all of which are
\ngrounded.<\/p>\n
He said seven of the 11 grounded aircraft would likely be used
\nto serve flights between Halim Perdanakusumah, Jakarta-Bandung
\nand Halim, Jakarta-Tanjung Karang, Lampung routes which the
\ncompany abandoned in 1999.<\/p>\n
\"We will not inject fresh money because we have the aircraft
\nand aircrew. I will let PT Dirgantara Indonesia market it,\" Wahyu
\nsaid, referring to Bandung-based state aircraft manufacturer.<\/p>\n
The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding on
\nTuesday to utilize the grounded aircraft.<\/p>\n
According to Wahyu, Merpati would provide the aircraft, the
\naircrew and some aircraft components, while Dirgantara would
\nprovide the maintenance services and find partners to operate the
\naircraft.<\/p>\n
Dirgantara commercial vice president Budi Sulaksono said the
\ncompany was sounding out cooperation possibilities with investors
\nin the form of revenue sharing.<\/p>\n
He said Dirgantara would approach a number of provincial
\nadministrations such as North Sumatra, South Sumatra and Irian
\nJaya or Papua to become investors to operate the aircraft and
\nserve their areas.<\/p>\n
He also did not rule out cooperation with other airlines.<\/p>\n
In addition to the 11 grounded aircraft, Dirgantara has
\nanother three idle CN-235s which it also received from Merpati as
\nsettlement of the latter's debt worth US$6 million.<\/p>\n
As part of their arrangement, Dirgantara and Merpati agreed to
\nform a joint team to study all possibilities to utilize the
\naircraft.<\/p>\n
If the team finds an investor, Merpati plans to reopen the
\nHalim-Bandung and Halim-Tanjung Karang routes using the idle CN-
\n235s.<\/p>\n
Previously there were nine flights a day -- using CN-235 --
\nfor the Halim-Bandung route while the Halim-Tanjung Karang route
\nhad five flights a day. Merpati closed the routes in late 1999
\nafter a drop in the load factor following the crisis.<\/p>\n
Merpati is 93.5 percent owned by the government and 6.5
\npercent owned by national flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/merpatis-cn-235s-may-fly-again-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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