RI's N-250 first flight successful

BANDUNG, West Java (JP): Indonesians witnessed yesterday the successful maiden flight of the country's first domestically- designed medium-range commuter aircraft, the N-250.

President and First Lady Tien Soeharto, Vice President and Mrs. Try Sutrisno, and members of the cabinet witnessed the 56 minutes of N-250's first flight from the Nusantara Aircraft Industry (IPTN) runway outside of Bandung.

The plane, originally scheduled to fly for about 90 minutes, was piloted by Erwin Danoewinata, who is also IPTN's chief test pilot. He was accompanied by co-pilot Sumarwoto from the country's Air Force and two flight engineers, Hendrawan Haryowibowo and Yoares Riady.

The N-250 was accompanied by two other aircraft during its maiden flight, a chaser Galeb and a CN-235 as a guide.

President Soeharto, who was watching from a control tower when the N-250 circled at a height of 10,000 feet, congratulated the four air personnel shortly after the plane landed.

Soeharto said the event was one of the country's columns of development.

He also said that the country should not stop developing its aircraft industry and must prepare the next generation of planes with more sophisticated technology.

"If we want to progress we will have to develop more sophisticated technology, which will be able to produce passenger jets," he said.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Research and Technology B. J. Habibie, who is also IPTN's president, said that aircraft manufacturers usually keep the maiden flights of their products secret.

"But because N-250 is the nation's project, high-ranking officials and members of the House of Representative came without invitations," he said at a press conference attended by some 160 domestic and foreign journalists.

"I don't think that there is anybody who is not touched here today. Some even had tears in their eyes," he asserted.

Most IPTN executives and cabinet ministers looked moved, or touched, but very proud and happy yesterday.

The N-250, called Gatotkoco after the flying hero of the ancient Mahabarata epic which has inspired Indonesia's puppet theater, is the first aircraft of its size to use fly-by-wire technology.

With a maximum cruising speed of 330 knots and range of 800 nautical miles, it is powered by Allison AE 2100-C turboprop and designed to accommodate 54 to 64 seats.

The aircraft carried out a series of taxiing tests, including a short take-off and landing test last week. A number of other tests were delayed for about three weeks in March due to the late delivery of spare parts. Several mechanical problems also occurred during runway trials.

Sales

Habibie said earlier that IPTN has received orders for 192 N- 250s. Three overseas firms, International Lease Finance Corp., Gulfstream International of the United States, and a leasing company from Europe have signed agreements with IPTN for the procurement of 38 N-250s.

Three domestic airlines, Merpati Nusantara, a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia, Bouraq Airlines, and Sempati Air have signed letters of intent to purchase the remaining aircraft.

Habibie said that 259 units had to be sold to break-even.

According to Benny Rungkat, vice president of Bouraq Airlines, the N-250, which costs between US$13.5 million and $14.2 million, is well-qualified.

"The fly-by-wire technology makes the N-250 very competitive in its class. The price is also about $2 million cheaper," he said.

Benny, who is also the secretary general of the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association, said that the aircraft, equipped with am Allison engine, is the best in the world and 25 percent more efficient in fuel consumption than its ATP and Fokker-27 rivals.

A senior executive and chief test pilot of the European- consortium aircraft manufacturer Airbus Industrie, Gerard Charles Guyot, who attended yesterday's ceremony, said that he was optimistic the N-250 will be successful overseas. (icn)