Two New Merpati Aircrafts Are Not Allowed To Fly

JAKARTA - Two units of aircraft types Merpati MA-60 which was just bought by PT Merpati Airlines has not been allowed to fly until the plane was checked over thoroughly.

"The novelty has not been able to fly. Not allowed to fly because we still doing an examination. In addition, our pilots have to do simulator training. If that was completed it will be able to fly," said Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi after the launch of Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project Plan Book 2011 in the office of Bappenas, Jakarta, Thursday (06/09/2011).
He explained further, while the Merpati type MA-60 is restricted its flights to the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). "Merpati are limited to in NTT, it was not allowed to fly. Up to the management doing the simulator training for pilots. But it's only for the MA-60, while others still flying," he explained.

After the accident of MA-60 aircraft in Kainama, Papua recently, PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines plans to add two types of MA-60 aircraft from China to fly the eastern part of Indonesia.

"So the total MA-60 aircraft that will operate in Indonesia are14 aircrafts," said Director of Merpati, Sardjono Jhony Tjitrokusumo.

He explained that his party will retain MA-60 aircraft because the aircraft is still considered feasible to be operated. "We still maintain the MA-60 aircraft because the aircraft is very feasible and suitable to use in the surface contour in Indonesia," he concluded.

Source:
okezone