VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

North Kalimantan Governor Irianto Lambrie visited on Friday PT Dirgantara Indonesia’s (DI) aircraft manufacturing factory in Bandung, West Java, as he mulls over plans to purchase twin-turboprop N219 Nurtanio aircraft to boost air connectivity in the province. Lambrie said that seventy percent of the province is forest area, which takes a long time to reach by land. The North Kalimantan administration has plans to use the N219 planes for semi-commercial flights, Lambrie said, adding that they would be operated by a provincial-owned enterprise in cooperation with a private airline. He said that the plan is to expand its public services, including health services; the planes could also serve as an ambulance. It could also be used as cargo and passenger planes for remote areas. The 19-seat N219 made its maiden flight test on Aug. 17 last year, marking the revival of Indonesia's aviation industry following the N250’s commercial failure two decades ago. However, before entering the production stage, the N219 must undergo a series of additional tests to get a Type Certificate (TC). DI president director Elfien Goentoro welcomed the governor’s plan, saying that DI is targeting to get its planes certified this year//JP