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By APD writer Maverick
JAKARTA, Aug. 8 (APD) — Indonesia has developed a nationally-designed passenger plane in a bid to cope with domestic air transport rapid growth, reducing imports on passenger planes from foreign countries.
Creation of the plane was among government’s initiatives to accelerate national strategic programs that covered a total of 248 projects.
The plane, codenamed R-80, is designed and produced by Indonesian aviation firm of Regio Aviasi Industri (RAI), derived from N 250 plane initially produced by Indonesian state-run aviation industry of PTDI. The N 250 was a plane popularly used for military purposes.
“The R-80 was scheduled to make its maiden flight in 2022. Delivery of the planes would start in 2025 after the model is certified by related aviation agencies,” RAI Deputy Financing Director Desra Firza Ghazfan said on Monday.
Speaking in a technology festival here, he said that RAI has received orders to produce 155 planes ordered by national airlines, including NAM Air, Trigana Air, Kalstar and Aviastar.
The R-80 plane would be an apparent competitor to Italo-Franco ATR 72 and Brazilian-made Bombardier turbo-propeller passenger planes to serve in world’s largest archipelago country.
RAI claimed that R-80 has a bigger passenger capacity and fuel efficiency compared to those two competitors which now used
by national airlines to serve flights to small islands.
R-80 is a twin turbo-propeller plane, has a capacity of up to 90 people on board, is claimed fit for regional operation, capable to land in relatively shorts airstrips that commonly found in islands across the country.
The Indonesia’s indigenous passenger plane was claimed of highly efficient, economical, offers comfortable cabin for the passengers and is fitted with advanced aviation instruments, including the fly-by-wire technology that enables the cockpit crews to electronically control the flight.
The R-80 is capable to fly up to 1,480 kilometer with full fuel tanks with a maximum speed was claimed at 611 kilometer per hour, or 330 knots.
RAI President Director Agung Nugroho said earlier that the firm planned to produce 400 units of R-80 planes over 20 years. Domestic demands on such a type of plane are high in Indonesia’s aviation industry which recorded over 19 percent growth in the past several years, he added.
RAI Chief Commissioner Ilham Habibie said production of the extended version of R-80 was possible, enabling the plane to accommodate more passengers and cargos.
“As an archipelagic country, Indonesia would always need air transport. Propeller planes are highly suited to serve flights between those islands,” Ilham said.
Instead of using jet planes, using fuel-efficient propeller planes that can easily takes off and lands in short airstrips would benefit airlines to serve flights in regions across the nation, he added.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
