Dirgantara delivers CN-235 to RP buyer

BANDUNG (JP): Bandung-based PT Dirgantara Indonesia, formerly known as PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN), handed over a CN-235's 36-seat passenger plane on Thursday to the Philippine airline, Asian Spirit.

"This is the second of five CN-235 planes ordered by Asian Spirit. The first one was delivered in March last year," said Ilham Habibie, commercial director of PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) in a ceremony attended by Asian Spirit's representative Capt. Gomer Monreal at PT DI's aircraft hangar service.

"The third plane will be ready in the middle of this year," Ilham said, adding that PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Asian Spirit signed the contract for the five planes during the Singapore air show in February, last year.

Asian Spirit is one of four airlines in the Philippines. The other three are Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific which are all operating jet airplanes such as B-737 and DC-9.

"The turboprop CN-235 aircraft will be suitable for the Philippine topography which is similar to Indonesia.

Such planes only require a short runway unlike those used for B-737 or DC-9 jets," Ilham said.

Monreal said that his company had been operating one CN-235 since June last year to serve each domestic route three times a day with a flying period of between 55 minutes and 110 minutes.

"We need to operate more turboprop planes to replace the old ones," Monreal said.

At present, the airline operates six YS-11 Japan-made twin engine planes -- which have been used for 20 years -- and several other aircraft from Canada and Czechoslovakia.

Ilham Habibie also said that PT Dirgantara Indonesia will further promote the leasing system in their aircraft sales.

"More than 50 percent of plane manufacturers sold their planes under leasing contracts. So we will aim at domestic and foreign commercial airlines which do not have enough cash to increase their fleets," Ilham said.

As for the capital to build the airplanes, Ilham said it would not be a problem. "They (the buyers) will give us a down payment that can be used as our capital. So we'll manage," he said. (25/edt)