BUSH OPERATOR in Borneo?

[flyingchinaman]

Was looking at the Navcharts the other day and this just came to me, please tell me if I am losing my mind:

Why are there no Bush/Float Operators in Sarawak and Sabah?

a few Twin Otters on Amphibs floats will be just perfect for far off Up River Settlements, ferrying tourists to the islands off coast, even into a dirt strip in the hills.

It's been done in Canada, Australia, Africa, etc

someone please tell me?

[slingsby]

Demand, Avgas, Terrain, Cost.

No demand, Avgas not readily available, poor terrain including the rivers (logging throughout region - floating FOD) and the cost effectiveness of a few cent boat trip over the dollar value of a one way trip. Tourism is coastal, with river trips being organised locally especially in Sarawak. Sabah tourism also coastal with interior having poor terrain. Generally locals stick to their own areas as this is still a tribal dominated area.

MH do have a commuter service throughout Borneo stopping at nearly every airfield but they don't venture into the Indonesian side (in fact no one does as tourism not recommended there).

This might help, or might not. Depends on your state of mind...:=

[PILOST]

Ah!Slingsby beat me to it.

More often than not a few entrepreneurs thought of this but the biggest obstacle was cost & viability.The rivers in the interior of Sabah & Sarawak are shallow & full of rapids,not much help unless you have V/TOL a/c.

MH provides a "National Service" by charging the equivalent of about USD12 for a trip to the interior.......not much money, but it's a necessity for the inland natives to get in touch with civilisation (or is it the other way around?) :confused:

Staging an airboat service in Peninsular might be more rewarding but needs marketing savvy & critical mass........but that's another story.......


Safe Flying All.
:cool:
PILOST

[flyingchinaman]

Demand? there's always a demand for inter Island, Coastal-island hops, just needs a good advertising team and GOVN support. the public has to get over the "what?~! you want me to get into that little plane on pontoons??!" mentality too. tourists will be ok with it, I think.

the PT6 turbines uses Jet A fuel, no need avgas.
even a turbine Otter/Beaver will do wonders, they can be STOL fitted.

there must be a nich market somewhere~!

look at the terrain in Sarawak/Sabah, it looks similar to British COlumbia, Canada~!

maybe I am going nuts....:)

[slingsby]

Borneo tourism can be categorised as follows

Sabah, Malaysia : Coastal resorts and mountain climbing with diving at Sipidan (MH fm BKI), islands not more than 30 minute boat ride for a few dollars. NorthEast Sabah neighbouring islands are Southern Phillipines, known for its pirates and tourism detentions.

Brunei : Not much here, good road connections to local towns/villages. No alcohol in country so tends to put tourists off. Generally only a staging point to either Sabah or Sarawak if you choose this route.

Sarawak : Throughout MH offer hopping schedules but only coastal sites as Indonesia borders close by. Kuching tends to be stop off for jungle trekking and Iban river boats, again very cheap.
Tourism hotels on the coast.

Balikpapan, Indonesia.: Recent tribal conflicts don't attract tourism, very sparse population. I think only Garuda serve BPN now from Indo mainland.

Having traversed several rivers in both Sabah and Sarawak in a boat, I certainly wouldn't want to try landing on one. Boat repairs were very costly when we came across some sunken trees and logging. Generally the river depth inland is extremely shallow, 6-12 inches and full of rapids and overhanging obstructions so this would preclude floatplane ops.

Another point against F/plane ops would be the massive contingent of little ''suicide boats'' flying about the city centre rivers and harbours. I refer to them kindly due to their carefree way of driving at great speeds without due concern. Dont expect them to look up for a landing f/plane or to give way after all its their trade you'll be taking away.

If your post is to sound out the feasabilty to start operations, then good luck but don't count on Government support, it doesn't exist here unless there is something in it for them.

[the wizard of auz]

And in my experiance the "some thing for them" must be passed whilst shaking hands or passed behind the back whilst looking at some thing else......... and it never stops. you wouldnt believe the ploys they use to extract some currency from you. I once had a bloke that I reckognised as the bloke that was marshelling us into a parking position at the airport turn up at the hotel about three hours after we booked in (about his knock off time) and wearing a borrowed US airforce jacket and a Indon army hat and carrying a large official looking reciept book, demand payment for the security of the aircraft over night. it turned out that after me telling him to p!ss off and him leaving looking very sheepish, he was a free lance collecter of moneys from tourists and visiters that didnt question whatever they were paying and not in the employ of anyone even closely related to the airport.

[muffin1]

this post sounds interesting, how about a Cessna Caravan CargoMaster on wheels flying freight into jungle strips inland of Sarawak/Sabah? there's quite a few places that no roads get to and up river slow boat takes forever.

heard that a bag of cement cost RM80 inland compared to RM13 in the City.


:ok:

[skyrocket]

Been there don that.

I spent 4 year flying a Twotter operation on all kinds of missions back in the 90's. This long b4 RAS started the ops to Long Banga, Ramudu, etc etc. Used to fly Cement inn to the interior and 40 goonies of rice out.

Those where the days when the pax payd 3 RM per bodyweight KG.

Would not have missed it for anything. Weekend back in Miri and the Ranch was well deserved at the end of the day.

Off to Milan now,, G,day Irw, keep the brown side down and the blue? U know!

Lizard!
:O

[muffin1]

who was the operator and are the twotter still running those routes?

[skyrocket]

Boskym Udara, Company sold long time ago....Layang Layang aerospace is running the show nowadays.

:ok: