PT DI gets contract for Airbus project

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.