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| The Control Tower of the Kuching International Airport |
Mission
To ensure every flight within Malaysian Airspace is conducted in a safe, orderly
and expeditious manner.
Vision
Towards Safer Skies
Watching flights of the birds usually conjures up a feeling
of freedom and a sense of mystery. How swift and light the feathered friends seem.
Where are they flying to, high up in the sky? Men have managed to conquer the
sky, to a certain limit, through the invention of airplanes. These mechanical
birds certainly appear swift and light amongst the clouds. The amazing thing is
that each of them carries passengers in their bellies, transporting them to a
far away land.
It is the responsibility of the airlines or aircraft carriers to fly passengers
to their destinations, but it is the task of the Department of Civil Aviation
to ensure these mechanical birds have a place to land, are registered and airworthy,
follow standard flight procedures and regulations, and so on. The Department of
Civil Aviation & Meteorological Services British Borneo Territories was formed
48 years ago on 1 September 1955. This was before the formation of Malaya. It
has its headquarters in Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu) with regional offices in Kuching,
Labuan and Brunei.
The Federation of Malaysia became a reality on 16 September 1963, and the Department
of Civil Aviation (DCA) Malaysia, established its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
Both the states of Sabah and Sarawak came under one Regional Office with its headquarters
in Kota Kinabalu. The airspace of Borneo (East Malaysia) was placed under the
care of Sabah, and became known as the Kota Kinabalu Flight Information Region
(Kota Kinabalu FIR).
In 1989, the Department of Civil Aviation Sarawak became the Region III Office
of DCA Malaysia. However, operational management of Kota Kinabalu FIR remained
the responsi-bility of Air Traffic Control Centre in Kota Kinabalu, but supported
by the Sub Air Traffic Control Centre in Kuching.
It took almost 3 decades before the DCA Malaysia - Region III (Sarawak) Office
became responsible for the provision of Air Traffic Services, enforcement of Airport
Standards, planning and supervision of the Development of Air Traffic Control
System and provision of airport infrastructure in Sarawak. This became possible
with the corporatisation of the Airport Services Division of the Department of
Civil Aviation Malaysia on 1 November 1992 to form Malaysia Airports Berhad.
The main functions and responsibilities of the DCA Malaysia - Region III (Sarawak)
are to provide services for Air Traffic and Flight Calibration, and regulate the
following:
- Aircraft Maintenance and Manufacturing
- Flight Operators and Flight Crews
- Airport Development and Operations
- Aviation Security
- Air Transport
- Air Traffic Services
Divisions within the DCA Malaysia encompass Air-worthiness, Flight
Operations, Flight Calibration, Airport Standards, Aviation Security, Air Traffic
Services Inspectorate, Air Transport, Air Traffic Services and Finance &
Administration.
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| An aerial view of Ba’ Kelalan town
(centre) and its Airfield (upper far left) |
An aerial view of the Long Lellang Airfield
(centre) |
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Passengers alighting at the
Tanjung Manis Airport |
Unloading baggages at
Bario Airport |
Completed & On-going Airport Development Projects
by DCA Malaysia - Region III (Sarawak)
Completed
- Bario
Completed 9 July 1998
- Long Akah
Completed 5 November 2000
- Long Bangah
Completed 27 August 2000
- Long Seridan
Completed 27 August 2000
- Long Lellang
Completed 27 August 2000
- Ba’ Kelalan
Completed 30 April 2001
- Tanjung Manis
In operations since December 2001
- New Bintulu Airport
In operations since 30 March 2003
- Miri Airport Upgrading:
New terminal building – officially opened on 25 July 2003
On-going
- Miri Airport
Installation of new Radar System & provision of Approach Radar Control Service
– expected hand-over in October 2003
- New Limbang Airport
Expected completion by April 2004
- Mulu Airport Upgrading
Provision of Aerodrome/ Approach Control Service, new terminal building &
control tower - expected operations by October 2003
- New Pa’ Dalih Airport
New terminal building & control tower, and runway for Twin Otter operations
- progress site survey
- Long Lellang & Long Seridan Airports
New terminal buildings (RM1 million each)
- expected completion by 14 June 2004
Proposed Airport Development Projects by DCA Malaysia
- Region III (Sarawak)
Kuching International Airport Upgrading
- Extension of runway to 3,700m for B747-400 unrestricted operations,
- Full parallel taxiway with adequate connectings/ fast turn-offs,
- Expanded open bay apron for FK-50s, DHC-6s & 2 wide body
cargo planes,
- New general aviation apron & additional aerobridges
- Renovation & expansion of present terminal building
- Improvement of facilities & access road to terminal building,
and
- New DCA Administration/ Training Building
Sibu Airport Upgrading
- Strengthening & extension of runway
- Expansion of apron with additional aerobridge for A330
- Renovation of terminal building, and
- Upgrading of associated facilities
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