Orders set for 219 N-250s

Orders set for 219 N-250s

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie said yesterday that PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) has received orders for the sales of 219 N-250s, newly developed turboprop aircraft with a capacity of 70 passengers.

He told reporters here that the orders include the one for the sale of 15 aircraft to Pakistan, whose memorandum of understanding will be signed in a ceremony here today.

He said the company will need to sell only 40 more of its N- 250 aircraft to break even.

"We need to sell 259 aircraft to break even," said Habibie, who is also IPTN's president.

An N-250 aircraft costs between US$11 million and US$12 million.

Habibie said that 10 aircraft have been ordered by Gulfstream Airlines of the United States, four by Colombia and 10 by European leasing companies, while 100 aircraft have been ordered by Merpati, a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia, 62 by Bouraq Airlines and 16 by Sempati Airlines. (31)