PT DI's N-219 Aircraft Set to Commence Test Flights in November  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Executive Director for PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI), Budi Santoso said that the N-219 aircraft - which is jointly designed with the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) - is set to commence its' first flight testing in November 2016. "We are now in the process of testing its' structural integrity," said Santoso in Bandung on Thursday, August 18, 2016.

Budi said that the flight test could only commence when the structural tests have been completed, and such tests will be completed in November. "This test is quite time consuming, so we need to calculate our timing perfectly so that it would match [our schedule for flight testing]," Budi said.

According to Budi, the testing will entail other testing and certifications of all of the aircraft's components to ensure that the aircraft is fit to fly. "All of these components need to be certified - it is completely different when compared to when a car-maker is testing its' new models," Budi said. "We have to make sure that everything passes the required certification, down to the very last bolt."

Budi admits that the aircraft was supposed to be flight tested much earlier - but such testing needs to be delayed as there are several administrative blunders. "For example, we cannot present several parts for certification because the administration for some parts were delayed," Budi added.

According to Budi, production contracts will be signed after the prototype has been certified as fit-to-fly. Several airliners have already submitted letters of intent to purchase - and given the numbers that these airliners have ordered, it would take around three years for PT DOI to meet the demand.

In addition to preparing the N219 aircraft, PT DI is also in the process of preparing its' staff to be sent to South Korea to work on a joint-venture to build a combat jet, codenamed 'KFX'.

Budi said that the design phase for the KFX jets is scheduled to be completed by 2018. "We aim to finish a prototype in 2019 - after which the necessary testing and certification will commence," Budi stated. "We hope that these aircrafts could enter mass-production by 2024."

Previously, the Head of Lapan, Thomas Djamaluddin had said that the flight test for the N-219 aircraft will have to be delayed from its' initial testing date in May 2016. "That said, we want these aircrafts to be ready for mass-production in 2017," he said.

The N-219 is designed to be a direct competitor of the established Twin Otter aircraft - which is favoured by airlines that serves Indonesia's most remote airfields and regions. The N-219 is designed to have a larger cargo bay - with a maximum take-off weight of 2.300 kilograms, larger than the Twin Otter's 1.800 kilograms.

Furthermore, the N-219 is designed to have a maximum cruising speed of 210 knots - significantly ahead of the Twin Otter's maximum speed of 170 knot. Also, the N-219 is designed in such a way that it does not have to reduce its' payload when it has to take off from airfields that are located above 5.000 feet - which is the altitude of Indonesia's highest airport.

The N-219 is designed to carry 19 passengers in a twin-aisle configuration - 14 seats on the left hand-side and five on the right hand-side - with a cabin height of 1.7 metres, which surpasses the Twin Otter's 1.5 metres. Furthermore, the N-219 is also designed to be able to take off from runways as short as 500 metres - which is necessary considering the state of Indonesia's rural airports.

AHMAD FIKRI