Airshow '96 to highlight national aviation capability

Airshow '96 to highlight national aviation capability

JAKARTA (JP): Besides aerobatics and a major exhibition, the
Indonesian Air Show '96 will offer the nation an opportunity to
showcase its potential in the field of aviation, the chairman of
the show's organizing committee said yesterday.

"We hope this show will reflect the dynamic changes in the
aviation industry. Indonesia has growing needs in aviation,
particularly in air transportation," Thareq K. Habibie, the son
of State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, said.

Thareq told reporters that participation by foreign aviation
experts will allow Indonesia to demonstrate its achievements in
this field.

Last month in Bandung, West Java, the state-owned aircraft
manufacturing company IPTN, which is headed by minister Habibie,
rolled out the N-250 medium passenger plane.

The N-250 is the first aircraft wholly designed and built by
Indonesia. The government has announced that it is now intending
to build a passenger jet.

At a news conference yesterday, Thareq announced that Russia
was the first nation to confirm its participation in the air
show.

The airshow will be held at the Sukarno-Hatta airport between
June 22 and July 1 next year.

It is organized by PT Produk Indonesia (Prodin), the company
created to promote and organize Indonesian products. PT Prodin
organized the Indonesian participation in the Hamburg Industrial
Exhibition last March.

"Russia's visit to Indonesia is a great support for the air
show because Russia is an influential country in the field of
aviation," Thareq said.

The head of the Russian delegation, Lt. Gen. Mihail Alexeevich
Filippov, said yesterday that his country has agreed in principle
to send a team to the aerobatics festival, which will be the
feature presentation at the air show.

However he would not determine the type or number of planes to
be sent.

Thareq said seven teams, including those from France and the
United States, are expected to participate in the aerobatics
festival.

Filippov would not answer whether the Russian participation in
the airshow would help boost the sale of Russian made aircraft,
saying that during his current visit here there were no
commercial talks. (mds)