North Bali Set to Become East Indonesian Air Hub with N219 Pioneer Flights
- VIVA/Adi Suparman
Bali, VIVA – North Bali will become an air hub for Eastern Indonesia, holding great potential in supporting the development of the aviation and tourism ecosystem, as it houses Letkol Wisnu Airport in Sumberkima Village, Gerokgak, Buleleng.
To build an air hub in North Bali and establish an aviation ecosystem, Indo Aviasi Perkasa has purchased two N219 aircraft from Dirgantara Indonesia. These Indonesian-made N219 planes will be used for Frontier Getaway or pioneer flights in North Bali.
This was revealed by Indo Aviasi Perkasa CEO, Septo Adjie Sudiro, during the signing of the Letter of Intent (LoI) for the N219 aircraft between Dirgantara Indonesia and Indo Aviasi Perkasa at the Bali International Airshow 2024 at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, on Saturday (Sept 21).
Miniatur pesawat N219 yang dipamerkan di Bali International Airshow 2024
- VIVA.co.id/Maha Liarosh (Bali)
“The N219 pioneer flights will open routes from short runway airstrips. For those that cannot accommodate larger planes, this will be an option for Indonesia,” Sudiro emphasized.
The commercialization of the N219 aircraft in North Bali also aims to enhance the tourism ecosystem.
President Director of Dirgantara Indonesia, Gita Amperiawan, stated that the aviation system is committed to supporting the growth and development of North Bali. He also mentioned that Dirgantara Indonesia will establish maintenance facilities to ensure that the N219 aircraft remains operational and safe.
“Bali will become the N219 hub for Eastern Indonesia,” remarked Amperiawan.
Deputy of Economic Affairs at Bappenas, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, explained that developing the aerospace industry ecosystem in North Bali is one way to build the hub there.
“We're not just talking about the aircraft, but also about the planning center, MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul), and other supporting ecosystems,” Widyasanti stated.
She expressed her hope that this Indonesian-made aircraft industry would dominate the domestic market, fostering an air bridge and creating connectivity between islands, particularly small islands, using the N219 and the 19-passenger N219 Amphibious variant.
“We see a vast market potential. The N219 Amphibious has a large market, and it's starting to attract buyers. One of the key markets is in Bali,” she concluded.
