N-2130 jet to enter market two years ahead of schedule
N-2130 jet to enter market two years ahead of schedule
BANDUNG, West Java (JP): Indonesian state-owned aircraft
manufacturer PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) is
planning to market its first N-2130 jet in the year 2004, two
years ahead of the initial schedule, according to a company
executive.
Ilham Habibie, IPTN's vice president, said yesterday that the
rescheduling is to enable the aerospace company gain a lead time
in the market.
"All phases of the construction of the N-2130 jet will be
accelerated, except those related to the preparation of its DRO
(design requirement and objectives)," he told reporters after
addressing a seminar.
He said that with the acceleration of the construction phases,
the N-2130 prototype, a 130-seat jetliner with a maximum speed of
900 kilometers an hour, could be rolled out in 2002.
"The first flight would be carried out in the same year," he
said.
Flight tests and other preparations for the certification of
the jet, which was initially scheduled to enter the market in
2006, would be carried out in 2003 before launching it onto the
market the following year, said Ilham.
Ilham, who was trained in Germany and the United States, is
the eldest son of State Minister for Research and Technology B.J.
Habibie, who is also the president of the aircraft manufacturing
company.
The N-2130 jet would be the second Indonesian-made aircraft
after the N-250 turboprop passenger plane, which had its maiden
flight in August, last year.
However, the N-250 aircraft has yet to gain certification.
This is expected in 1997 or 1998.
Ilham said that the latest survey conducted by IPTN and its
partners indicated that 2004 is the best time to enter the market
as in that year, most jets with a capacity of between 100 and 130
passengers will need replacement.
He acknowledged that IPTN would be competing with the Fokker
of The Netherlands, McDowell Douglas of the United States and BAe
of the United Kingdom in the marketing of jets with a capacity of
between 100 and 140 passengers.
The competition from the three companies should not be a real
problem for IPTN, Ilham believes, because the Indonesian company
will use the latest technology in the production of its N-2130
aircraft.
"As you know, Fokker had gone bankrupt so it means that we
really have only two competitors," he said.
He also dismissed the British company as a strong competitor,
saying that its BAe-144 jet is not as efficient as IPTN's N-2130
aircraft.
"The BAe-144 airplane cannot compete with the N-2130 jet in
terms of cost efficiency and technology as unlike the N-2130,
which will use two engines, the British jet still has four
engines," he said.
The MD-95 jet built by McDonnel Douglas is only the
modification of the DC-9 airplane so in terms of design and
structure, the aircraft has nothing new to offer, Ilham noted.
And he said that the consortium recently established by
aircraft companies from China, Singapore and Europe to
manufacture a jetliner with a 100-set capacity would also not be
able to compete with the Indonesian aircraft maker.
"The involvement of many countries will make the consortium's
development slow and this will not enable it to catch up with
IPTN's progress and experience, " he said.
Earlier this year President Soeharto established a company, PT
Dua Satu Tiga Puluh, to raise funds for the development of the N-
2130 jet.
Soeharto (in his personal capacity) was appointed chief
commissioner of the company and former vice presidents Umar
Wirahadikusumah and Sudharmono commissioners.
PT Dua Satu Tiga Puluh -- the Indonesian words for "2130" --
had an initial authorized capital of $400 million, split into
400,000 shares each with a par value of $1,000.
A number of state-owned companies and noted business tycoons
were reported to have bought a significant amount of the
company's shares, which are being sold to both institutional and
individual investors. (17/hen).