Hi Tjabemerah,
I rely on these sources to get a sense of the progress on the new airport. (As an aside, I recognize the new airport is badly needed, but I am so used to the Selaparang airport because it gets me to Sengiggi quickly.) These are:
Site visitors like you, Promoters, Bloggers and the Project Plan. There are lot of tourism promoters and quite a few bloggers who are probably frequent visitors to Indonesia.
The overall picture painted by the first three sources is that there is considerable progress and the new airport will be operational in 2010 but I am somewhat skeptical. I joked in an earlier posting that the construction schedule is on
jam karet and it drew the ire of Gemma.
I went back to look at the Project Summary dated January 4, 2005 issued by the Directorate General of Air Communication and PT (PERSERO) ANGKASA PURA I. According to this, the "Operation" is scheduled for mid-2011. It also shows the total investment needed as US138.9 million (Equity vs Debt 24%:75%).
One of the sources mentioned above said that the financing is provided by PT (15%) and WTB govt. (5%) and the rest in debt. Given the world wide credit crunch I wonder if the project financing is lined up.
Other information contained in the Project Summary:
o There are two phases Phase 1 and Phase 2 (2005-2015)
o Airport size 553 ha
o Runway length 2,750 m and 4,000 m
o Navigational Aids: Air Traffic Control Tower 23 m high, Precision Landing System R/W 13 ILS, Runway Lighting - High Intensity and Other NAVAIDS - DME, DVOR, NDB.
o Feasibility study for master plan completed in 1993, for the airport in 1997
o Passenger projection 2 million (Phase 1/year 2015), 2.5 m (Phase 2/year 2025) and 6 m "Ultimate"
o Design Aircraft: A300-600 (Phase 1), B747-400 (Phase 2).
So now I am willing to make a wager with Gemma:
If the airport is operational by end of 2010, she can choose one of the following from me:
A goat to feed 20 guests or
Two bottles of Bali Arak or
Two bottles of Bali wine or
One R/T ticket from the new airport at Kuta, Lombok to Jakarta Josi