IPTN has 204 orders for N-250: Habibie
IPTN has 204 orders for N-250: Habibie
204 orders for N-250: Habibie
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie
said yesterday he has received orders for 204 N-250 aircraft.
He said 34 aircraft have been ordered by European countries,
10 by Gulfstream Airlines of the United States and four by
Colombia, Antara reported. He did not give details of the other
buyers.
Habibie also refused to disclose the sale price of the
aircraft, saying that "the price of the N-250 in Europe, in the
United States and in Indonesia is the same."
According to earlier reports, the N-250 costs between US$13.5
million and $14.2 million per unit.
The break-even point for the N-250 project has been calculated
at 259 units.
State-owned company PT IPTN, which manufactures the aircraft,
said yesterday in a statement that domestic buyers of the N-250
include Merpati Nusantara (which will buy 100 units), Bouraq (62)
and Sempati Air (16).
The 70-seater N-250 accomplished its maiden flight in August.
The aircraft, which has a maximum cruising speed of 330 knots and
a range of 800 nautical miles, is the first plane of its size to
use fly-by-wire technology.
The government's efforts to expand the market for the N-250
include a deal made with the German state of Niedersachsen (Lower
Saxony) and the town of Mobile in Alabama, the United States,
both of which were tentatively selected earlier this year as the
sites for assembly plants and marketing centers for IPTN's
aircraft.
Habibie, who is also the president of IPTN, met yesterday with
the Minister of Economy and Technology of Niedersachsen, Peter
Fisher.
Habibie said that when and if ASL -- the German company which
has been appointed to sell N-250s in Europe -- has sold 18
aircraft, IPTN will consider whether or not to make Niedersachsen
an assembling center.
ASL has so far sold 10 N-250s.
Habibie said that negotiations between ASL and IPTN to give
IPTN a 25.1 percent share in ASL are still underway. He said
IPTN's ownership in ASL would increase the aircraft's
competitiveness in Europe.
Habibie said the 25.2 percent share would take the form of
technology rather than money.
Meanwhile, IPTN announced yesterday that the company has
opened a representative office in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) to expand its marketing network.
The statement said seven of IPTN's CN-235 aircraft are
currently operating in the UAE, four in Saudi Arabia, two in
Oman, 18 in Turkey, seven in Morocco and several others in
Botswana, Boputatswana and Gabon.
IPTN also announced yesterday that it will participate in the
Middle Eastern Airshow, to be held in Dubai from the 12th to the
16th of this month. (pwn)