Air Show affects 56 flight schedules at Soekarno-Hatta

Air Show affects 56 flight schedules at Soekarno-Hatta

JAKARTA (JP): The administrator of the city's Soekarno-Hatta
airport has rescheduled the timetable of 56 domestic and
international air carriers serving the airport during the
Indonesia Air Show 1996 from June 22 to June 30.

An airport official, Suhardono, said yesterday that the
revised schedules will only affect those flights set to take off
and land between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and between 2:30 p.m.
and 3 p.m.

"We have issued Notams (note to airmen) internationally,
informing that the Soekarno-Hatta airport will host an air show
on June 22-30."

"During the periods between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and 2:30
p.m. and 3 p.m. there will be dynamic and aerobatics shows, so we
have to guarantee safety. Any air activities during the periods
will be totally terminated."

He said that most of the air carriers scheduled to operate
within the period between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. will have to
expedite their services, while the airlines scheduled to operate
from 2:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. will have to delay their services.

"Detailed schedules of the revised services will be announced
later," he said.

Soekarno-Hatta airport, located some 15 kilometers west of the
city, currently serves 42 domestic and overseas airlines.

A spokesman for the air show, Binsar Tobing, said yesterday
that 257 parties from 21 nations will participate in the show.

The multimillion dollar show, which will feature dynamic and
static exhibitions as well as some of the world's most well-known
aerobatics teams, expects to attract between 150,000 and 200,000
professionals and between one million and 1.5 million people.

"Some 35,000 tickets for professionals have at the moment been
sold," Tobing said.

Scheduled to be inaugurated by President Soeharto on June 22,
the nine-day event will be open to professionals from June 23 to
June 27 and to the public from June 28 to June 30. The press will
have a special day on June 21.

Tickets are set at Rp 50,000 for professionals, Rp 20,000 for
adults, Rp 10,000 for students and children under 12 years.

The organizing committee, chaired by Thareq K. Habibie, a son
of Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, expects to
gain between Rp 32.5 billion (US$13.8 million) and Rp 47.5
billion ($20.1 million) in revenues just from ticket sales.

The approximate revenues from the ticket sales will be just 40
percent of the total expected revenues. "Of our total revenues,
we expect to receive 40 percent from ticket sales, 40 percent
from operating activities and 20 percent from other sources,
including sponsorships," Tobing said.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Muddin Ma'ruf, an aide to Commander of
the Armed Forces Gen. Feisal Tanjung, said yesterday that 16 high
ranking military officials from invited foreign countries will
visit the air show.

"The British and German ministers of defense and security and
deputy minister of defense and security from the Netherlands will
visit the event as well as commanders of the armed forces from
Brunei, Cambodia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and Singapore."

He said that deputy commanders of the armed forces from
Britain, North Korea and the Netherlands will also attend the
event.

When asked about the possible purchasing of any Indonesian
military aircraft, Ma'ruf said: "We are trying to lobby them. We
will also invite the high-ranking officers to visit the state-
owned aircraft maker PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN)
in Bandung during their visit to Indonesia."

IPTN is scheduled to sign contracts worth $200 million at the
air show for the sale of 25 airplanes and helicopters, including
three CN-235 aircraft and six NBO-105 helicopters to the
Indonesian Ministry of Defense and Security. Three domestic
airlines, Sempati Air, Merpati Nusantara and Bouraq Airlines are
set to buy six, five and five N-250 aircraft respectively.

Ma'ruf said that 35 high-ranking military officers from
various foreign countries have been invited.(icn)