Meteorological equipment supplier Vaisala has won a €25 million (US$27.6 million) three-year contract to provide aviation-related weather technology to 14 airports in Indonesia.
The company has been selected to provide its AviMet Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) to eight airports, and wind shear alert systems to four airports.
“The project also includes the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s SILAM model, which can be used for estimating movements of ash clouds from volcanic eruptions,” said Jarkko Sairanen, executive vice president of weather and environment, Vaisala. “As Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire with an estimated 80 active volcanos, this will be a significant addition to the safety of Indonesian aviation,”
As an archipelagic country comprising more than 17,000 islands, air travel is crucial for the mobility of both people and goods in Indonesia. The country recorded more than 52 million domestic and seven million international passengers in 2022.
The contract with the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics will enhance airport safety and weather resiliency in Indonesia and is the largest ever single aviation-weather equipment order won by Vaisala.
“Flight safety should not be a privilege. No matter where you live, you should be able to trust that your air travel is protected by modern automatic weather observation systems. This is especially true in Indonesia where the tropical climate brings in thunderstorms and other weather events that can severely affect the safety of the passengers and ground personnel alike,” added Sairanen.
According to information from the USA’s International Trade Administration, Indonesia is the second-fastest growing aviation market in the world after China based on its aircraft purchases and trade value.
The project is being funded through the Finnish Public Sector Investment Facility (PIF), an instrument governed by Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and applicable for projects that comply with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries. The project will start in 2025 once the PIF loan agreement is completed and the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved the funding.