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)