Sriwijaya Plane Stays Put
The body of the Sriwijaya Air plane that skidded off the runway at Yogyakarta’s Adisucipto Airport on Wednesday has not been removed because the airline is still waiting for new wheels to replace the broken ones and an elevator to move it.
“The front and back right wheels have not arrived,” an officer from Sriwijaya Air said on Thursday. “The wheel was sent via land transportation, and is now in Cirebon, West Java. It will probably arrive here at 10 p.m. tonight.”
Sriwijaya Air has planned to move the body of the aircraft, which is located 60 meters from the runway, to the taxi way. A special elevator is also needed to move the airplane.
“This equipment is used to lift up the airplane body,” Hanad Prayitno, station manager of Sriwijaya Air said.
Prayitno said the tool, similar to a rubber balloon, would be placed below the body of the plane.
“There are three layers of balloons to lift up the body of the plane.”
The elevator has also not yet arrived from Jakarta. The empty plane body weighs 42 tons.
While Sriwijaya Air is waiting for the wheels and elevator, the black box has been sent to Jakarta to be investigated by the National Committee for Transportation Safety (KNKT).
Hanad said the airline was deciding whether to repair the airplane or scrap it completely.
“If we fix it, the repair costs will be the same as the airplane price,” Hanad said. “It could be cut, if [the company] decides not to use the airplane again.”
The final decision whether to fix it or to scrap it will depend on the results of the ongoing crash investigation and meetings between the company, manufacturer, insurance company and Transportation Ministry.
The price of the airplane is about $11 million, according to some reported prices.
JP.