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President Jokowi names new locally produced aircraft Nurtanio
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Flying high: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and dozens of elementary school students fly paper airplanes next to the N219 aircraft that has just been named Nurtanio at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta on Friday. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" announced on Friday that Nurtanio had been chosen as the name for an N-219 aircraft that was jointly built by state aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) and the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN).
Jokowi said he had chosen Nurtanio to honor Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo, an Indonesian aerospace industry pioneer who died while flying a modified Aero 45 aircraft in 1966.
"He devoted all of his life to the development of the Indonesian aerospace industry," Jokowi said at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base as quoted by a statement released by the Research and Technology and Higher Education Ministry.
The announcement was part of the commemoration of National Heroes Day, which falls on Nov. 10, and the remembrance of the battle between Indonesia and Allied Forces in Surabaya in November 1945.
N-219 is the successor of the N-250 aircraft produced in 1995 when Indonesian aircraft maker company IPTN was led by BJ Habibie, who would go on to become Indonesia's third president.
Officials claimed the N-219 plane was solely produced by local workers.
Jokowi said the next step to be taken after the Friday announcement was to ensure the N-219 could be marketed domestically and internationally.
PTDI has said the aircraft is best to serve domestic flights to remote areas. (ahw)
