RI plane completes UN mission

RI plane completes UN mission

BANDUNG: A Buffalo DHC-9 aircraft, belonging to state-owned
aircraft manufacturer PT. Dirgantara Indonesia, returned home
Tuesday after a 15-month United Nations humanitarian mission in
Kenya.

Djoko Widadiyo, a member of the aircraft's crew, told
reporters here that during its humanitarian mission in Kenya the
1976 Canada-made aircraft had operated for six to eight hours per
day, carrying around eight tons of humanitarian aid for the
victims of a local civil war.

"There was no engine trouble during its 15 months of operation
in Kenya," said Djoko.

PT. Dirgantara Indonesia received five Buffalo DHC-9 aircraft
and four Cassa 212 aircraft in 1994 from United Arab Emirates as
part of a barter deal for six CN-235 aircraft produced by IPTN,
the company's former name.

The company's Public Relations Manager Rakhendi Triyatna said
the five Buffalo aircraft had actually been sold to the
Indonesian Military (TNI) in 1996 for US$ 3.5 million per
aircraft.

"After undergoing standard maintenance for two weeks here,
we'll send three of them to the Army, while the remaining two
will go to the Navy," Rakhendi said. (25/44)