AAC Air to Build Mini Airport Near Kuching

February 17, 2004

AAC Air to Build Mini Airport Near Kuching
The Star, Malaysia
 

AAC Air Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of
Malaysian-made Eagle 150B light aircraft in the
Asia-Pacific, will build a mini airport and flying
clubhouse in the Santubong peninsula near Kuching. 

According to its general manager Michael Liong, the
company is negotiating with the Sarawak government and
several landowners on land acquisition for the
project. 

“We need between 20ha and 40ha for the project, and
the site will need approval from the Department of
Civil Aviation (DCA),” he told StarBiz yesterday. 

Liong said the proposed mini airport and clubhouse
would ideally be located near the resorts in Damai to
capture the tourist market and visiting golfers. 

He said the company targeted to set up the mini
airport before the year-end while the clubhouse and
related facilities would be developed within two
years. 

The project's overall development cost would be
between RM2mil and RM3mil. 

The company sees the urgency to implement the project
as it has just obtained DCA approval to sell
memberships for the Eagle Flying Club. 

Liong said the proposed mini airport would have
private hangars for personal aircraft while the
clubhouse facilities would include a bar lounge,
cafeteria, library and training classrooms. 

On sales of the Eagle aircraft, he said AAC Air was in
talks with about a dozen potential buyers, including
expatriates, in Sarawak. 

“We expect to close deals in the next two months. Our
initial target is to sell six aircraft in Malaysia and
two aircraft each in Brunei and Singapore a year,”
said Liong. 

The two-seater Eagle 150B was designed by Composite
Technology Research Malaysia Sdn Bhd and produced in
its Malacca plant. It is priced at about RM520,000. 

The aircraft is capable of surveillance work like
border patrol, commercial aerial survey and
environmental control and monitoring. 

Liong said the company was expected to get three more
Eagle 150B aircraft to be stationed in Kuching to
provide training for private pilot licences. 

There is now only one such aircraft at its training
base in Kuching International Airport. The company has
a simulator for more efficient training. 

Liong said AAC Air planned to go international by
establishing tie-ups with overseas flying clubs like
in Japan, Taiwan and China.  


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