Indonesian aerospace who has been slowing down since beginning 20th century now started to rise up to the surface by successfully performing high speed taxy and runway hoping of N219 light twin engine turboprop aircraft. The Indonesia N219 First flight plans started from the initial stage of flight testing where the step by step approach is performed in a safe and incremental approach.
Finally the Indonesian Manufactured Aircraft N219 made first runway hoping in Bandung at 11 August 2017 by performing series of runway hop, the test pilot captain Adibudi atmoko ex Indonesian Airforce National Test Pilot School graduate, Capt Esther G Saleh International Test Pilot School, supported by Flight Test Engineer Dono and Iqbal are the test team of this N219 flight test.
The N219 that was designed for 19 seat, powered by two turboprop Pratt & Whitney PT6A engine delivering 850 Shaft Horse Power each designed with straight wings and 59 Knots stalling speed in order to achieve Short Take Off Landing capability with 500 meter take off distance is quite promising for regional transport. This aircraft is also potential to perform unscheduled air transport or although this aircraft is not a private jet Charter , however it is potential to serve as air charter plane.
This design is really having potential market for light twins in this archipelagoes countries especially with short take off landing capabilities, where the competitors aircraft manufacture production goes to larger options, there is no major competitor in this market world wide, Indonesia is potentially grab the world market.
The experience of Indonesian aerospace was developed for over 50 years where the previous president B.J Habibie who initiate the Aircraft Manufacture in 1976, then he start the development from under license product agreement with Casa for the Casa 212 with 100 unit production and along with 100 helicopter or Bell BO105. Then followed by CN 235 turboprop aircraft that flew first in 1983, followed by N250 Twin turboprop aircraft that made the first flight on 10 August 1995, until the financial crisis hit the development of these aircraft and stopped the two production aircraft to continue the development, similarly N2190 twin turbojet that was lead by Ilham Habibie also have to be terminated.
Finally as early as 1999 engineer Andi Alisjahbana and the design team started the idea and draft design, however with some financial issues the program realization had been dragged until finally in 2017 obtained the result where the aircraft successfully performing high speed taxy and nose wheel lift off, with the expectation if the high speed taxy performed satisfactory, the Indonesia N219 First flight planned to be performed in 10 August 2017 aligned with technology day when the previous twin turboprop N250 did the first flight.