PT DI gets contract for Airbus project

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

The state-owned aircraft manufacturing industry PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) in Bandung received an order from British Aerospace (Bae) to manufacture wings, or leading edge ribs, for the Airbus-380 project, sources say.

Barry W.R. Rowland, president of British Aerospace, a member of the European-based Airbus consortium producing passenger Airbus jet airliners, said his company gave the order to Dirgantara Indonesia because it trusted in the Indonesian aircraft manufacturing industry's ability to meet the order in accordance with the set quality standards.

"The cooperation could last for a long time depending on PT DI's ability to meet all requirements set by British Aerospace," said Rowland who was accompanied by U.K. Ambassador to Indonesia Richard Gozney in a visit to Dirgantara Indonesia's factory recently.

British Aerospace is a member of the European Aeronautic Defense System (EADS) producing Airbus jet aircraft. In the Airbus-380, Bae is in charge of producing wings for the new type of Airbus series.

He said that Bae's choice for Dirgantara Indonesia was based on the company's experience in producing wings for the Airbus A- 330 planes and after making a feasibility study in a number of similar companies in European countries such as Poland and Rumania.

Rowland added that for the time being, Bae had orders for 50 units for the Airbus-380.

"With the new project, the latest series of Airbus will be the most modern commercial airplane in the world," he said.

Gozney said the new order was expected to help improve the troubled labor condition of Dirgantara Indonesia.

"The cooperation is limitless, depending on Dirgantara Indonesia's ability to meet all the requirements," he said.

The cooperation was expected to be worth at least US$10 million per year to Dirgantara Indonesia.

Jusman S. Djamal, president of Dirgantara Indonesia, said he could give a guarantee that his company would meet the order in the coming 10 years.

"The cooperation is a major step for PT DI and we are confident we can meet the order because we have nine machines made in Cincinatti in the United States, and professional engineers to produce the Airbus' wings," he said.

But, he could not say when PT DI would start manufacturing the Airbus components.