Indonesia president’s new plane finally arrives in Jakarta
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 10 April, 2014, 11:10pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 10 April, 2014, 11:11pm
Associated Press in Jakarta
The plane at the Halim Perdanakusuma air force base. Photo: EPA
Indonesia's new US$91 million presidential plane arrived yesterday after several months of delay.
The Boeing 737-800 plane landed at Halim Perdanakusuma air force base in eastern Jakarta to a welcoming ceremony presided over by State Secretary Sudi Silalahi.
The plane, named Republik Indonesia, was to have arrived late last year but was delayed after the government requested customised designs. Silalahi said the plane would go into operation after it receives a certificate from the Ministry of Defence.
The purchase of the plane was approved in 2010 to cut costs.
Silalahi said US$10 million a year could be saved by using the plane instead of renting jets for presidential tours at home and abroad.
In the past, Indonesia used an Ilyushin Il-18, a gift from the Soviet Union, and a Sikorsky helicopter from US President John F. Kennedy as official planes for President Sukarno, the country's first president who died in 1970.
