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| Letkol Wisnu Airstrip |
While the plan to build an international airport in Buleleng remains stuck in an administrative limbo, the regency administration has embarked on an initiative that required much less funding: upgrading the existing Letkol Wisnu airstrip to a small commercial airport.
Located in Gerokgak village, some 30 kilometers west of the Buleleng capital of Singaraja, the airstrip currently serves as the main training facility for the students of Bali International Flight Academy (BIFA).
The upgrade, which has been ongoing throughout this year, has seen the airstrip’s runway extended from 700 meters to 900 meters, as well as the construction of a 180-meter-long taxiway and a 2,400-square-meter apron.
Currently, work is being finished on the construction of the air traffic control tower and the installation of a new navigation system.
Made Arya Sukerta, head of Buleleng transportation office, told that the facility improvement was made possible under a joint cooperation with BIFA.
“The construction of new facilities, including the navigation system and a monitoring tower, is aimed at upgrading the airstrip’s safety system and its comfort,” Sukerta said.
A firefighting team and an ambulance will be ready at all times on site.
“The upgrading will be carried out gradually. For the air traffic control tower construction, we plan to complete this by early January 2013 and will start operations soon after its completion,” he said.
Wiradharma Bagus Oka, chief executive officer of BIFA, told journalists that BIFA had the obligation to maintain facilities at the airstrip.
Previously, the flight academy rented space at the airstrip for its training classes and air training.
The academy pays a meager amount of only Rp 30 million (US$3,108) per month.
“At present, under the joint cooperation, BIFA has to spend Rp 300 million for maintenance of all the airstrip’s facilities and its operational costs,” Bagus Oka said.
He went on to say that BIFA had already constructed the additional 200 meters for the runaway, making it the present 900 meters long.
“Ideally, an airstrip should have a runway that is at least 1,200 meters long,” Bagus Oka said.
In practice, instructors and students of BIFA prefer to use facilities at Belimbingsari airstrip in Banyuwangi in East Java because it has better facilities.
Sukerta said that Buleleng administration would accelerate the process of upgrading Letkol Wisnu airstrip to a commercial airport. The administration has obtained full support from Buleleng Legislative Council.
“We need approval from the Transportation Ministry,” Sukerta added.
Previously, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika had expressed his exasperation over the plan to build an international airport in Buleleng.
“It has been so difficult to get a comprehensive report from the Transportation Ministry regarding the plan. The change of minister may have contributed to the delay and lack of clarity for the plan,” the governor said.
The idea to develop a new international airport in Buleleng was promoted several years ago by Jero Wacik, then-minister of tourism and culture, on the grounds that the planned airport would gradually take over from the current Ngurah Rai International Airport in Tuban, which itself would become the second international airport.
Regardless of the major renovation program, Ngurah Rai Airport faces crucial problems with a lack of land that has prevented the airport management, PT Angkasa Pura I, from expanding facilities, especially the runaway, in line with projected requirements. Data from PT Angkasa Pura I demonstrates that the number of passengers keeps increasing. In 2012, passenger numbers reached 12.77 million consisting of 6.59 million domestic passengers and 6.18 million international passengers
source: Bali Daily
