“The take-off and landing trial was conducted using a King Air 200 calibration aircraft [with registration number] PK-CAO. It went smoothly and successfully,” Budi said in a media statement as quoted by Antara news agency.

The calibration aircraft was a King Air 200 GT, a twin turboprop aircraft manufactured by United States aircraft maker Beechcraft. It has a crew of one or two pilots and a capacity of 10 passengers. With a ferry range of 3,185 kilometers, it can carry a load of up to 1,700 kilograms.

The aircraft is operated by the Transportation Ministry’s Aviation Facilities Calibration Agency.

Other aircraft operated by the agency are one King Air 350, a larger model of the King Air as well as one Hawker 900P twin-engine business jet. The agency also operates one Bell 429 GlobalRanger light twin-engine helicopter.

Budi and Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono directly observed the runway testing process on Sunday.

The runway testing was part of proving flight, an operational process designed to ensure the readiness of a new flight route. The trial also tested the airways around the airport.

"We’re conducting a proving flight to test not just the runway but also the surrounding airways,” Budi said.

“Everything is designed to avoid conflicting flights with the airports in Balikpapan and Samarinda, ensuring no airspace issues even with high-frequency use.”

Budi said the proving flight tested the runway and airways under operational conditions, including air navigation systems.

After the trial, further assessment of flight safety and security will be conducted to ensure the airport can handle frequent flights smoothly.

Meanwhile, Basuki said the airport runway currently measures 1,025 by 30 meters.

"Despite the drizzle today, we’ve reached 1,025 meters. Our goal is to extend it to 2,200 meters by early September to accommodate Boeing 737 jets," Basuki said.

Earlier on Aug. 2, Budi said Nusantara Airport would be capable of serving wide-body aircraft for international flights to and from Europe.

“The 3,000-m runway at IKN [Nusantara Capital City] can accommodate a Boeing 777, allowing for direct flights from IKN to Europe,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

The airport, dubbed Nusantara Airport, will have a longer runway than other airports nearby.

The Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport in Balikpapan has a runway of 2,400 m, while the Aji Pangeran Tumenggung Pranoto Airport in Samarinda, the provincial capital of East Kalimantan, has a runway of 2,200 m.

The Nusantara Airport lies about 25 km northwest of the Balikpapan airport and some 107 km southwest of the Samarinda airport, making them some of the closest airports in the country. (nvn)