Air Force's Jupiter Blue: Professionalism in crisis

Air Force's Jupiter Blue: Professionalism in crisis

By Tiarma Siboro

JAKARTA (JP): The worsening relations between the Indonesian
military (TNI) and some allied countries, which resulted in the
suspension of military aid including spare parts for the
Indonesian Air Force's jet fighters, has reduced the aerial
capability of the force.

Yet the air force has managed to continue the flight exercises
for its pilots, with increased efficiency to reduce its
operational expenditure.

Amid the minimal available funds, the air force established
last month a team of flight instructors, namely the Jupiter Blue
Aerobatic Team, to perform acrobatic maneuvers in the air with
eight jet fighters -- two F-16 Fighting Falcons, five Hawk MK-53s
and a Hawk-100 -- to commemorate the force's 55th anniversary on
Monday.

The Jupiter Blue has conducted three weeks of flight
exercises, with 15 hours per week on average, at the Iswahjudi
air base in Madiun, East Java. As the special training was
conducted alongside their routine exercises, there has been no
additional expenditure.

Air Force chief Marshall Hanafie Asnan said such an acrobatic
show involving three different types of jet fighters will be a
rare performance, not only for Indonesia but by any professional
team in the world.

"We are etching a moment in history and I'm very proud that
during this crisis, which has forced us to limit our flight
exercises, we can still hold the acrobatic show.

"It's certainly difficult, to perform a combined acrobatic
show, only professionals can do it," said Hanafie, who was an
instructor for L-4J Pipercub, L-29 Dolphin and T-34 A Mentor
training aircraft in the 1970s.

The Jupiter Blue consists of eight flight instructors who have
secured between 2,260 and 3,200 flight hours.

The team is led by Maj. Fahru "Ferret" Zaini, known as Jupiter
One. He is a commander of Air squadron 15 of the Iswahjudi
Airbase in Madiun, East Java, and a 1986 graduate of the Air
Force Academy. Fahru has secured 3,000 flight hours on Hawk MK-53
and A-4 Sky Hawk.

The right wing position is held by Capt. Budi "Boxer" Ramelan,
with the code name Jupiter Two. He is a 1991 graduate of the Air
Force's School of Aviation and has secured 2,600 flight hours on
Hawk Mk-53 and F-5 Tiger.

Maj. Anang "Morgan" Nurhadi Susilo, who holds the left wing
position, is known as Jupiter Three. He is a 1987 graduate of the
Air Force Academy and has secured 3,000 fight hours on Hawk MK-
53, F-5 Tiger and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The outer right wing and outer left wing positions are
respectively held by Capt. Andis "Lavy" Solikhin or Jupiter Four
and Donny "Osprey" Ermawan or Jupiter Five. Andis is a 1989
graduate of the Force's School of Aviation and has secured the
longest flight hours among the other pilots, 3,200 hours on Hawk
MK-53 and F-5 Tiger. Donny, who is a 1988 graduate of the Air
Force academy, has secured 2,800 flight hours on Hawk MK-53 and
F-5 Tiger.

Holding the slot position is Capt. Muhammad "Cougar" Dadang or
the Jupiter Six. He is a 1989 graduate of the Force's School of
Aviation and has secured 2,800 flight hours on Hawk MK-53, Hawk-
100/200 and F-5 Tiger.

Major Fachry "Oryx" Adamy or Jupiter Seven will hold the lead
solo position on his F-16 Fighting Falcon. The 1988 air force
academy graduate has secured a total flight hours of 2,350 with
some 970 hours on F-16. Meanwhile, the opposing solo position
will be held by Capt. Jusuf "Jaguar" Hanafi or Jupiter Eight. He
is a 1991 graduate of the Force's School of Aviation and has
secured 1,150 flight hours on F-16 from his total flight hours of
2,260.

The team members have met very high requirements, including
perfect physical stamina, high self-discipline and excellent
leadership.

There will 20 maneuvers in the 16-minute display. They are
Figure 8, Diamond Split, Delta Loop, Delta In View, Inverted,
Inverted to Inverted, Pheasant Roll, Four Point Roll, Pyramid In
View, Knife Edge, Hi "G" Turn, Roll Back, Hi AOA & Snake Pass,
Pyramid Loop, Cross Over Break, Screw Roll, Aileron Roll, Low &
Hi Speed Pass, Vertical Roll and Boom Burst (Vixen).

The maneuvers, however, have been modified by the team from
the international standardized aerobatics team: the United
States' Thunder Bird and the British Red Arrows. None of the
foreign trainers have been involved.

"As the instructors, not only the aviators, they are required
to be self-educated.

"As pilots of the Indonesian jet fighters, they have added
value in comparison with commercial pilots due to their ability
to make perfect analysis, a requirement needed to gain victory on
every aerial fight," assistant for personnel to the Air Force
chief Rear Marshall Suprihadi told The Jakarta Post in a recent
interview.

Although he is proud of the force's human resources, Suprihadi
voiced concern over its quality of training, which completely
depends on the condition of the jet fighters and the government's
finances.

"The prolonged economic and political crisis has forced us to
limit our pilots' flight hours, while they must secure certain
flight hours per week to avoid potential accidents.

"If this continues, I'm afraid that we cannot maintain the
pilots' capability," he said.