Indonesia Aerospace Forum

[Indos]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1227122793554141184

 

[Indos]

BPPT eyes locally made aircraft for cloud seeding

• Arya Dipa
  The Jakarta Post

Bandung / Tue, December 31, 2019 / 10:43 am

Picture: NC 212i planes inside PTDI facility

The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) is planning to buy a locally made aircraft to strengthen its effort in forest fire prevention through artificial rain.

The agency will purchase the NC-212 plane, which is manufactured by state-owned aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia. BPPT head Hammam Riza signed a letter of intent (LoI) at PT Dirgantara Indonesia in Bandung, West Java, on Monday.

"We plan to buy the plane in 2020-2021. The plane will be used in cloud seeding to create artificial rain," Hammam said, adding that the Rp 260 billion (US$186 million) plane would be used to create artificial rain and eventually help prevent forest fires.

According to him, the BPPT was currently using 1993's NC-212 planes produced by Dirgantara, but the number is limited. "The BPPT's planes are very limited. We usually borrow planes from the Indonesian Air Force when forest fires strike," he said.

Hammad added neighboring countries were currently heavily investing in aircraft for rain-making purposes. He also expressed hopes that the new NC-212 plane could provide better cloud sowing machines.

He said that currently the BPPT operated a conventional cloud seeding method by scattering salt through seeding funnels, however such practices carried health risks for plane operators and crews.

Dirgantara Indonesia president director Elfien Goentoro said the new NC-212 would be able to carry up to 300 kg of salt. The company was also making nine NC-212 planes for the Defense Ministry at the moment, he added. "Some of the nine planes were intended for creating artificial rain."

Elfien expressed hope that the BPPT could sign a purchasing contract by the end of January next year. "We have a lot of orders at the moment, so we hope the BPPT can sign a purchasing contract as soon as possible," he said, adding that it would take 18 months to made an NC-212 plane after the contract was signed. (nal)

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news...-locally-made-aircraft-for-cloud-seeding.html

 

[Indos]

PT Dirgantara Booth in Singapore Airshow 2020

 

[Indos]

Look like Singapore Airshow doesnt get us any leads in term of CN 235 and N 219 planes possible sell. It may be due to coronavirus things that hinder many companies and country delegations to come to the airshow.

Particularly for CN 235, we need new contract to be signed so that we can still keep the factory busy for another years, especially for CN 235 production line. Currently PTDI is busy completing contract for 9 NC 212i for our armed force. Possible NC 212i contract is also coming from Philippine armed force that needs 6 planes but still need their parliament approval for that acquisition. So NC 212i production line look like to be quite secure for some years to come.

Possible contract for 2 CN 235 MPA from Malaysian Armed Force is now mentioned by our defense journalist twitter post. Hopefully this rumor can turn into effective contract so that CN 235 production line is not stopped inside PTDI facility.

As PTDI also try to broaden their offering and start developing CN 235 gunship, we still not yet see any clear interest coming from targeted customer like Pakistan, UAE, Philippine, and Thailand.

Another way to anticipate weak demand from CN 235 plane is to develop N 245 plane to capture civilian market and compete with ATR 42 plane. Our deputy defense minister has shown his support to develop the plane this January. Despite so, PTDI in my opinion will prioritize on N 219 program first, particularly in term of spending some money, since N 219 program needs some investment to make additional factory to keep up with "anticipated" huge demand according to PTDI director. Current N 219 production line is only able to produce 6 planes per year maximum.

Here is written some support from our deputy defense minister for N 245 program.

https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/...o-ingin-cn-235-disulap-jadi-pesawat-komersial

 

[Indos]

South Korea uses its Presidential plane which is CN 235 bought from PTDI to evacuate its citizen from cruise ship in Japan.

The VCN-235 Air Force plane takes off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at noon on Tuesday, heading to Japan to evacuate South Korean nationals aboard the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship. (Yonhap)

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200218000743

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/e...dential-jet-to-evacuate-citizens-from-diamond

 

[Indos]

CN 235 gunship model being shown in Singapore Airshow 2020 in PTDI booth.

 

[Indos]

Facility to test radar, satellite, and stealth

 

[Indos]

EC725/H255M helicopter fuselage and tailboom production in PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

 

[Indos]

N 219 Amphibious development. Under wind tunnel test.

 

[Indos]

Lapan Satellite Mission Control system. This where all Lapan made satellite is being controlled. The antenna use X and S band.

Indonesian Armed force take picture with Lapan satellite mission system as background

 

[Indos]

From This place Lapan control 3 Lapan made satellites

 

[Indos]

There will be competitor for N 219 plane program from US aerospace company, Textron Aviation. The name of the new plane is Cessna Skycourier 408 and the plane also has similar seat capacity with N 219 which is 19 seats. It hasnt been rolled out yet but has got order from Fed Ex for 50 planes. It seems logistic companies need these type of plane. The program is revealed just 3 months after N219 maiden flight in Augustus 2016.

Cessna Skycourier 408

https://www.airspace-review.com/201...ing-anda-siap-menyusul-cessna-skycourier-408/

N 219 plane

 

[Indos]

It feel suspicious to me about the plan of Garuda Indonesia to buy drone from China about 5 million dollar each (which is relatively not too far from N 219 plane price) for about 100 drones for delivery service. It is a very new ideas and hasnt been implemented by other airline/cargo companies. There is chance, the director is bribed by Chinese company. Garuda has also said they order 50 VTOL drone from China as addition.

The drone which is BZK 005 hasnt yet got certification as cargo drone from China authority and this state owned company has already bought it. The regulation is also not clear as there is no drone ever being used as cargo delivery ever in the world. The plan is very fishy.

It is better for Garuda Indonesia to buy N 219 planes instead to form their cargo planes fleets. All Indonesian company, particularly state owned one like Garuda should help and develop our own aerospace company. I hope government cancels this idea. Actually they hold the plan just recently (March 2020) due to corona outbreak situation and technical issues. AlhamduliLLAH. I hope the cancellation will be permanent. Just see what will be happening 6 months from now.

 

[NEKONEKO]

Well there is harley and financial report scandal too.

And getting involved with smuggling jet engine from Iran to US to be repaired there.

Butuh perombakan total.

 

[Indos]

Well there is harley and financial report scandal too

Emir Syah Satar, former Garuda CEO is also now in jail after proven to get bribed to buy Roll Royce engine for Garuda fleets. I wonder how our journalists dont smell this fishy plan.