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)