Mamuju, West Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The West Sulawesi provincial administration planned to procure Boeing 737-400-500s following the increase of the length of its runway by the end of October 2010.
"The Boeing 737-400-500s will be tried at the runway which had been extended from 2,040 to 2,250 meters, and widened from 30 to 45 meters," Head of the West Sulawesi Transportation, Communications and Information Agency H. Thamrin Syakur said in Mamuju Thursday.
He said the thickness of the runway had also been increased from 10 to 35 centimeters.
"After the completion of the improvement of the runway in October 2010, we will test the landing of the wide-bodied airplanes which have a capacity of more than 200 seats," he said.
These planes are also being prepared to fly hajj pilgrims to the holy land this year from Tampapadang, Mamuju, to the Hasanuddin embarcation point in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
"This year the provincial administration planned to fly 770 hajj prigrims to the holy land from three regencies, namely Mamasa, Majene and Mamuju.
The pilgrims from the three regencies included 104 from Mamasa, 250 from Majene, and 416 from Mamuju. They will be leaving from Tampapadang airport in Mamuju.
He also said that pilgrims from two other regencies will be leaving from their areas of origin by bus to the embarkation point in Hasanuddin.
Those from North Mamuju regency like last year will be using aircraft from Mutiara airport in Palu to the embarkation point in Hasanuddin.
 "These two areas have yet to be combined with the pilgrims to Mamuju as the flight to Mamuju is too distant," he said. (T.SYS/H-NG)
"The Boeing 737-400-500s will be tried at the runway which had been extended from 2,040 to 2,250 meters, and widened from 30 to 45 meters," Head of the West Sulawesi Transportation, Communications and Information Agency H. Thamrin Syakur said in Mamuju Thursday.
He said the thickness of the runway had also been increased from 10 to 35 centimeters.
"After the completion of the improvement of the runway in October 2010, we will test the landing of the wide-bodied airplanes which have a capacity of more than 200 seats," he said.
These planes are also being prepared to fly hajj pilgrims to the holy land this year from Tampapadang, Mamuju, to the Hasanuddin embarcation point in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
"This year the provincial administration planned to fly 770 hajj prigrims to the holy land from three regencies, namely Mamasa, Majene and Mamuju.
The pilgrims from the three regencies included 104 from Mamasa, 250 from Majene, and 416 from Mamuju. They will be leaving from Tampapadang airport in Mamuju.
He also said that pilgrims from two other regencies will be leaving from their areas of origin by bus to the embarkation point in Hasanuddin.
Those from North Mamuju regency like last year will be using aircraft from Mutiara airport in Palu to the embarkation point in Hasanuddin.
 "These two areas have yet to be combined with the pilgrims to Mamuju as the flight to Mamuju is too distant," he said. (T.SYS/H-NG)