We are still waiting for landing and take-off tests with different aircraft models...
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expressed enthusiasm for landing at the new Nusantara Airport and hoped to do so when arriving in Indonesia’s new capital on Thursday (September 12).

However, this will not be possible for the time being because further landing tests are required, he noted during the inauguration of the Nusantara Swissotel and the groundbreaking ceremony for the Nusantara Duty-Free Mall on Friday.

The event was streamed online through the Presidential Secretariat's social media channel.

Jokowi said that more landing tests with different aircraft models will be carried out before the Indonesia One presidential aircraft gets the greenlight to land at the airport.

“We are still waiting for landing and take-off tests with different aircraft models. As a result, our (Indonesia One) aircraft cannot land at the airport yet,” he elaborated.

Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono mentioned that the next landing test at Nusantara Airport will involve an Avro RJ-85 aircraft.

This will follow an earlier successful test with a Cessna Citation aircraft, which was conducted on Thursday with Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and his team on board.

Hadimuljono, who is also serving as the acting chief of the Nusantara Capital Authority, stated that Minister Sumadi had informed the President about the new airport runway’s condition.

“As reported to the President by Minister Sumadi, the Cessna pilot said the runway is excellent for landing,” he added.

Jokowi, who is in the final month of his presidency, started working at the new capital on Thursday and will continue to do so until October 19. During that period, he will also conduct working visits to various regions of Indonesia.

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Translator: Benardy/Rangga P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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