TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The prototype for the Regio Prop 80 (R80) aircraft - which was designed by former President BJ Habibie - is slated to be manufactured in mid-2016, according to the Commissary for the PT Regio Aviasi Industri (RAI), Ilham Habibie said on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.
"We hope to finish the design by early next year, so we can start building the prototype by mid 2016," said Ilham in Jakarta.
Ilham said that RAI is still meddling with the preliminary design - which includes the selection of critical component, such as the engine and the aircraft's control systems. Among the engines being considered for the aircraft includes UK-made Rolls Royce engine, or US-manufactured Pratt and Whitney or General Electrics engine units.
Previously, the R80 is slated to begin flight testing in 2019 - but the plan had to be delayed until 2021 due to technical issues.
To date, it is known that PT RAI has already received 145 orders from three airlines - namely Kalstar Indonesia, Nam Air, and Trigana Air.
Ilham said that the R80 has a number of advantages over its' competitors - namely fuel efficiency, and larger load capacity. "Better aerodynamics, advanced materials, as well as greater cabin comfort, gives it an advantage over ATR aircrafts," he said.
Because the aircraft is still in the preliminary stages of design, Ilham stopped short of detailing R80's exact price, although he said that the aircraft is likely to be marketed between US$22-25 million per unit.
It is known that the R80 is a direct successor of the N250 aircraft built by IPTN - now known as PT Dirgantara Indonesia. PT RAI is a commercial aircraft development company owned by BJ Habibie.
ANTARA
