Bandung (Antara Bali) - Aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) is to build 15 N-219 airplanes for service on so-called "pioneer" routes  in Papua province, a company official said here on Thursday.

"Work to construct the N-219 planes has already started with a prototypes expected to be completed in 2014," PTDI technology and development director Andi Alisjahbana said.

Andi said the production cost of one N-219 plane  with a capacity of 19 passengers was US$4 million so that around US$60 million would be  needed to build the 15 N-219 planes for Papua.

Andi said PTDI had forwarded a request to the government to obtain the needed funds from the state budget.

"The plan to produce the 15  N-219s  has the full support of the government through the ministries of research and technology,  industry and transportation," he said.  

He said the N-219 was a type of plane vell suited for use in  pioneer regions like those in  Papua and other eastern Indonesia provinces where the runways of  almost all airports were less than 800 meters long.

"The runways of most  airports in Papua are less than 800 meters  and in some cases even only  400 meters long," Andi said, adding N-219 type planes were urgently needed in the province.(IGT)

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Editor : Nyoman Budhiana


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