Indonesia to develop amphibious aircraft

Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro opens the 2019 International Conference of Transportation Research and Innovation (Photo: jakartaglobe.id)

 Indonesia is looking to develop an amphibious aircraft in the next five years to solve the perennial problem of inter-island transportation in the archipelago, the country’s Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro has said.

Speaking at the recent International Conference of Transportation Research and Innovation in Jakarta, he revealed that the Indonesian government will develop the N219A amphibian to support tourism, especially diving and surfing.

The float plane is capable of reaching small islands in Indonesia's archipelago.

The N219A is currently being developed by Indonesia’s National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) and the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT).

Bambang said the government also has three other transportation projects on the pipeline in the next five years, including building high-speed commuter trains that are made with 80 percent local components; designing electric vehicles and manufacturing their lithium batteries locally; and building a tug boat that can run on biofuel.

In September, aircraft manufacturer PT DI announced that it will begin commercial production of its N-219 aircraft next year to meet the growing demand for small airplanes both at home and overseas.

N-219 program manager Palmana Banandhi at PT DI said that the 19-seater transport aircraft was expected to enter the market in 2020 at the initial price of 6 million USD per aircraft./.

VNA