Poland offers cheap aircraft

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two Polish aircraft makers PZL-Mielec and PZL-Swidnik have offered their helicopter and airplane products to potential buyers in Indonesia.

PZL Swidnik offered several type of multipurpose helicopters, including MI-2, MI-2 Plus, Kania, W-3A Sokol and SW 4.

While PZL Mielec offered AN-2 airplane, which is dubbed as the largest bi-plane and most produced aircraft in the world, and a Dromader M-18 B airplane. The latter was specially designed for agriculture purposes, namely pesticide spraying and seeding as well as crop fire fighting.

"Compared to Western Europe and the United States' products, our aircraft are much cheaper," said Dyzma Andrzej, marketing director of Swidnik on Thursday during the product presentation here.

He said the price could be four times cheaper than Western Europe and U.S. made-products.

Despite being cheap, Dyzma assured that Polish-made products were reliable in terms of quality, citing that Poland has long experience in the aviation industry. The Aviation industry began in 1931 in Poland.

Meanwhile, commercial counselor at the Polish embassy in Jakarta Mariusz Wrzesniewski said that Polish-made aircraft and helicopters could become an alternative for Indonesian buyers who could not afford Western Europe and U.S.-made products.

Alita P. Damar of PT Damar Unggul Lestari, which market both companies' products in Indonesia, said Indonesia was a potential market for the Polish products.

"Private sectors in remote areas such as Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua are in dire need of cheap and safe aircraft," said Alita.

The two Polish companies claimed to have sold their products in many countries in Europe, Africa, Middle-East and Asia.