N219 Ready to Fly in December 2015
9 September 2014 20:22 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - National Institute of Aeronautics and Outer Space (LAPAN) and PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) have started to produce components for N219 aircraft. The production was started at PT DI production hangar at Jalan Padjajaran on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.
The details of the 19-passenger aircraft’s prototype is currently being designed that will be completed in October 2014.
“The aircraft will fly in December 2015 to be certified and marketed a year after,” LAPAN Director Thomas Djamaluddin said o Tuesday, September 09, 2014.
Thomas said LAPAN serves as a bridge between the government and industry in an effort to establish independent aircraft industry.
“The development of the N219 is aimed to provide air transportations to reach remote areas,” Thomas said, adding that the N219 is developed to boost domestic aircraft industry.
Director of PT DI, Budi Santoso, said the N219 would be built with simple machinery to reduce production costs.
“But the aircraft will be sold for profitable price to ensure the program’s sustainability,” Budi said.
RISANTI