Indonesian Air Shoe set for take off
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia Air Show '96, an ambitious aviation exhibition at the Soekarno-Hatta international airport, will be opened by President Soeharto today.
The multimillion dollar show, which will feature both dynamic and static exhibitions and involve some of the world's best aerobatics teams, is expected to attract about 1.2 million visitors.
State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie said the public should visit the show to witness Indonesia's achievements in the development of high-tech industries.
"The entrance fee is just the same as tickets to a movies or to visit Dreamland which just sells fantasy. The show here sells real technology," he told a press conference attended by Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto and Commander of the Armed Forces Gen. Feisal Tanjung.
The show's organizing committee has set the entrance fee at Rp 50,000 (US$21.20) for professionals, Rp 20,000 for adults, and Rp 10,000 for students and children under 12.
Minister Haryanto said the state air carriers Garuda Indonesia and Merpati Nusantara Airlines will offer a 50-percent discount on airfares to Jakarta from any other Indonesian cities in an effort to attract more visitors to the air show.
Rehearsals
A few aerobatics teams conducted rehearsals during a special press day yesterday. The Royal Air Force's Red Arrows was among the teams gracing the sky.
An Airbus A-340 passenger jet built by the European consortium Airbus Industrie arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta airport yesterday.
The Airbus-340, which can operate non-stop commercial service between Indonesia and Western Europe, flew directly from Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France. The trip took 13 hours and 50 minutes. It will stay until June 26, and will then return non- stop to Toulouse with a few dozen passengers.
An American-made Boeing B-777, the world's biggest twin- engined airliner, arrived earlier to join the show.
A small accident occurred yesterday when a Zodiac (CH-601-HD) aircraft owned by Derazona of Indonesia flipped while an American KC-135 Strato Tanker-2 landed at the airport. The parked Zodiac was tossed by the wake of the KC-135. The light aircraft suffered minor damage.
The chairman of the show's organizing committee, Thareq K. Habibie, said the event will obviously illustrate Indonesia's aviation achievements.
"We hope that contracts for the sales of some five or six N- 250 aircraft will be signed during the show," said the 30-year Thareq, a son of Minister Habibie.
The N-250 is a 70-seat commuter aircraft designed and engineered by PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN), the state-owned aircraft manufacturer based in Bandung, West Java.
Thareq said that 260 firms will participate in the air show.
"Everyone can see for himself. Our own airliner, the N-250, will fly every day," Minister Habibie announced.
The N-250, which uses American engines and European avionics, is expected to sell for about $13 million a unit when it hits the market in early 1998. (icn)
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