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).