PTDI delivers CN-235 plane to Royal Thai Air Force
- Arya Dipa
The Jakarta Post
Bandung, West Java | Fri, November 25, 2016 | 02:47 pm
Ready to fly — Officers prepare a CN235-200, the product of state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia, to be delivered to Thailand in front of a hangar of the company in Bandung on Friday. Thailand earlier purchased two similar aircrafts from the company. (The Jakarta Post/Arya Dipa)
State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) conducted another ferry flight of its product, the CN235-200, to Thailand on Friday.
The multipurpose aircraft, which was piloted by police Col. Suthipong Pectrak and copilot Esther Gayatri Saleh, the only female test pilot from PTDI, departed from Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung to Hat Yai International Airport in southern Thailand.
“There were 12 passengers and the pilots, who are technicians,” Esther told reporters before taking off.
The delivery of the plane was part of a contract signed on Sept. 19, 2014 between the company and Thailand’s state-owned company, Thai Aviation Industries Co.
(Read also: PT DI ready to deliver two aircraft ordered by Philippines next year)
PTDI’s restructuring and commercial director Budiman Saleh said the aircraft could be configured for VVIPs, troop transport, medical evacuation, passenger transport and cargo. The contract was worth US$31 million.
“The regular types could cost US$26 million to US$28 million,” Budiman said.
PTDI has earlier delivered two CN235-200s to Thailand, which are being used by that country's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
So far the company has produced 62 CN235 planes for the local and overseas markets, with 35 of the aircraft having been delivered to their buyers in Venezuela, Senegal, Burkina Faso, United Arab Emirate, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand. (jun)
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