Angkasa Pura

Citilink Successfully Performs Proving Flight at Jenderal Besar Soedirman Purbalingga Airport

Purbalingga, April 1, 2021 - Citilink airline successfully conducted a proving flight from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta to Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport, Purbalingga today (1/4).

This operational trial process is to ensure the airport's readiness and feasibility to operate, in this case in relation to the operation of the new airport. The proving flight was carried out jointly by a team consisting of personnel from Citilink, GMF AeroAsia, AirNav Indonesia, Angkasa Pura II, representatives of the Indonesian Air Force as the runway manager for Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport, as well as the local government.

In this flight, Citilink used an ATR 72-600 aircraft with flight number QG 2256 which took off from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at 08.05 WIB and landed at Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport at 09.10 WIB. Then the plane with flight number QG 2257 took off again from Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport at 10.09 WIB and landed at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at 11.10 WIB.

"Citilink positively welcomes and supports the plan for commercial flight operations at Jenderal Soedirman Airport. After this proving flight, Citilink will prepare commercial flight operations and coordinate closely with all stakeholders so that we can immediately conduct commercial flights to Purbalingga when Jenderal Soedirman Airport is ready to serve commercial flights as planned on April 22, 2021, "said the President Director. Citilink Juliandra in Purbalingga, Thursday (1/4).

Juliandra added that Citilink hopes that this flight operation can facilitate the mobility of the people of Purbalingga and its surroundings such as Purwokerto, Banyumas and Banjarnegara who want to travel using air transportation to Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport was built by PT Angkasa Pura II since 2 years ago from land which is still greenfield land.

PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) Director of Operation & Service Muhamad Wasid said preparations ahead of the opening of Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport for commercial flights were running smoothly as scheduled.

"The construction of the air side [airside] of Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport has been 100% complete, where flights have also been carried out in the framework of proving flights or operational tests twice, the first was a proving flight by the Ministry of Transportation in January 2021 and the second was by Citilink today. , "Explained Muhamad Wasid.

With the completion of the airside construction, Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport is equipped with a runway with dimensions of 1,600 meters x 30 meters, an apron with an area of ​​69 x 103 meters and a taxiway with a width of 15 meters.

"We hope that Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport can contribute to the development of the economy and tourism in the surrounding area," said Muhamad Wasid.

The proving flight was fully supported by Purbalingga Regent Dyah Wahyuning Pratiwi and Chairman of the Purbalingga DPRD H.R. Bambang Irawan.