Recently, the national airline, Trigana Air, successfully landed for the first time (inaugural landing) at Rembele Airport, Bener Meriah Regency, on Thursday (March 16, 2023) in the framework of the operational test process (proving flight).

The wide-bodied cargo airplane, a Boeing 737-300, landed smoothly on the runway at Rembele Airport at 11.40 WIB. Captain Beni Sumaryanto as Operation Director of Trigana Air, praised the Rembele Airport runway which he considered as a nailing runway category.

Prior to conducting a proving flight, the Trigana Air has carried out three inspections of the condition of Rembele Airport which began on January 13, 2023.

Then, on 7 February 2023 and finally on 15 March 2023. The review is related to runway length, runway strength, landing area and other supporting facilities.

The presence of this freighter, as believed by the Bener Meriah Regency Government, will be a driving force in improving the economy of the people in the area. Besides efficiency, products from Bener Meriah Regency can be marketed more quickly, thereby, it opens up new opportunities for the people of the Gayo Highlands.

The breakthrough by the Bener Meriah Regency Government in presenting a freighter from Trigana Air deserves a thumbs up. The reason, to deliver crops not only via land and sea but also by air.

“All of this is not as easy as imagined because there are many struggles in getting this freighter to arrive at Tanoh Gayo to transport agricultural products in the form of various plantation and agricultural commodities,” said the Acting Regent of Bener Meriah, Drs. Hailey Yoga. M.Sc.

Haili added, the presence of freighter would speed up and shorten the distances for transporting commodities from Gayo to be sent to a number of areas by air.

The first shipment was using a B737-300 freighter from Rembele Airport, consisting of Gayo arabica coffee, chili peppers, avocado, durian and tobacco with a total weight of around 6,000 kilograms (6 tons). This first delivery destination is to Jakarta, Medan and Batam, and there are several domestic airports that will become the destination for Trigana Air freighter.

Trigana Air Operations Section, Donia Nungroho, explained, the capacity of the B737-300 aircraft reaches 15,000 kg but depends on the destination of the airplane. If heading to Jakarta, the capacity can be 8,000 - 9,000 kg, but it depends on weather conditions which can affect the flight process.