"The extension work is 90 percent complete."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Situated at the eastern end of Madura island in East Java, Sumenep district desperately needs air transport services in order for tourists and other visitors to enjoy its interesting sites.
Sumenep has many historical sites such as Kraton and Tiny Museum, along with traditional arts and cultural attractions such as mask dances and bull race, as well as the beautiful beaches of Lombangh and Slopeng.
From Surabaya`s Tanjung Perak harbour, it takes more than four hours to reach Sumenep by bus or taxi.
Sumenep can also be reached from Bali by passing through Banyuwangi to reach Jangkar Port in Situbondo district, and then crossing by ferry from Jangkar Port to Kalianget sub-district in Sumenep district. However, all of this takes several days.
Regarding the transportation-related problems facing Sumenep, the local district administration expressed optimism that commercial flights to the district`s Trunojoyo airport would materialize soon.
"We are certain that commercial flights to Trunojoyo airport will materialize this year because an airline company has expressed its interest," Sumenep deputy district head Soengkono Sidik said here on Tuesday.
He added that the airline company would use Trunojoyo airport to train students from its flight academy.
"Besides making the airport a training ground, the company will also operate some of its planes to serve the Sumenep-Surabaya commercial route," Soengkono stated.
He said he and the airline company's head were also discussing the prospect of running flights between Sumenep and East Java`s capital city of Surabaya.
"The flight academy of the airline company will use the airport to train its students while making the necessary preparations to run commercial flights," Soengkono explained.
He also pointed out that the district government and the Trunojoyo Airport Working Unit were continuing to cooperate in their efforts to improve the facilities and infrastructure at the airport.
"The Ministry of Transportation has expressed its commitment to support us in our effort to make Trunojoyo a commercial airport with regular flights," Soengkono said.
He added that the district government and the Air Transportation Directorate General were "already making every effort to expand the airport".
"In 2011, they freed up about 5.4 hectares of land for the expansion of Trunojoyo airport and the extension of its runway from 905 metres to 1,160 metres," Soengkono noted.
Meanwhile, Trunjoyo Airport Working Unit Chief Dwi Ariyanto stated that the runway extension project was almost completed.
"The extension work is 90 percent complete," he said, adding that the Trunjoyo Airport Working Unit was a part of the Air Transportation Directorate under the Ministry of Transportation.
Ariyanto noted that the runway extension project reflected the Transportation Ministry`s commitment to developing the airport in Sumenep district.
"We have also sought additional navigation equipment from the Ministry of Transportation in our bid to make Trunojoyo a commercial airport," he said.
For the past several years, Ariyanto added, the local district government and the Airport Working Unit had been making efforts to make the airport eligible for handling commercial flights on a regular basis.
"Now, the airport has been declared eligible for handling small and medium-size passenger planes throughout the day," he stated.
Ariyanto praised the central government for allocating sufficient funds in the 2012 state budget to support the Sumenep district government in its efforts to develop the airport.
Meanwhile, Navy Aviation Center Commander Commodore Sugianto said the Navy was also planning to train its future pilots at the Trunojoyo airport.
"We are actually interested in making the Trunojoyo airport a training ground for prospective Navy pilots. Therefore, we have come here to discuss things," Sugianto said during a recent visit to Sumenep.
During his visit to Sumenep, Sugianto met with Soengkono, Ariyanto, and several local government officials.
"We want to immediately utilize Trunojoyo Airport as a training ground for flight exercises, but it all depends on the Sumenep district government," Sugianto said.
"If the local government permits us, we will do it as soon as possible. The sooner the better, because the Sumenep`s aerodrome is already fit for handling trainer aircraft," he added.
(T.O001/INE/KR-BSR)
Reporter: by Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
