Soeharto opens Indonesia Air Show '96

Soeharto opens Indonesia Air Show '96

JAKARTA (JP): The aerobatics of Indonesian and British
squadrons as well as skydivers carrying the flags of the 23
participating countries marked the opening yesterday of an
ambitious air show at the Soekarno-Hatta international airport.

Fighters flown by Indonesia's Elang Biru team and Britain's
Royal Air Force Red Arrows graced the sky for 42 minutes after
President Soeharto opened Indonesia Air Show '96.

The opening of the nine-day event was also marked by a fly-
past of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters made by the state-
owned PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN).

"With the rapid progress in aerospace technology made by other
countries, along with the progress Indonesia has made in this
technology, future air shows of this kind can be held at a
shorter interval, once in two years," Soeharto told more than
2,000 guests attending yesterday's opening ceremony.

"Beginning in 1998, this air show will be called the Asia-
Pacific Hi-Tech and Aerospace Show," he said.

This year's air show, the second after the 1986 event, is
participated in by 280 firms from 23 countries, including
Indonesia, which exhibits its latest military and commercial
aviation technology products.

Because the event is limited to business and closed to the
public until Friday, people lined the sides of the toll road
leading to the airport in order to enjoy seeing the aerobatics.

Deals

IPTN's president, B.J. Habibie, who is also minister for
research and technology, signed agreements yesterday with
executives of domestic air carriers for sales of the N-250
turboprop passenger aircraft with a fly-by-wire system.

Sempati Air signed a contract to buy six N-250 aircraft with
an option of another 10, Merpati Nusantara Airlines to buy 15
with another 85 optional and Bouraq Airlines to buy five.

Mandala Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding to buy
up to 20 N-250s and Gatari Air Service to buy two with another
one optional.

The N-250, worth about US$14 million, is the country's first
wholly designed commuter aircraft, which utilizes various
overseas engines and aviation electronics systems.

Habibie said that the N-250, which performed its maiden flight
last August, has undergone 300 hours of test flights.

Airworthiness standardization requires 450 hours of flight.

Besides the N-250, the Bandung-based IPTN is now also
developing a passenger jet, to be called N-2130.

The N-2130, to be designed to have a configuration of 80, 100
and 130 seats, is expected to enter the market in late 2004.

Habibie also signed an agreement yesterday with Minister of
Defense and Security Gen. (ret) Edi Sudradjat on the supply of
six CN-235s with military equipment, six NC-212 planes, three
NBO-105 helicopters and one NBell-412 helicopter for the Armed
Forces.

A senior manager of IPTN, B. Aviantoso Nurtanio, told The
Jakarta Post yesterday that the company also inked a memorandum
of agreement with the country's flag carrier Garuda Indonesia on
the supply of up to 20 N-2130s.

Sempati also signed an agreement to buy up to 51 N-2130s,
including 30 optional, while Merpati planned to buy up to 15 such
jets.

Garuda's president Soepandi said yesterday that his company
would also order McDonnell MD-11 aircraft.

A Garuda director, Dharmadi told the Post. that the airline
also plans to order five B-737-500s and 12 B-737-300 from Boeing
Co..

"We are still considering whether to buy B-777 or B-747-400
jets," he said. (icn)

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