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)