Indonesia's largest private operator, Susi Air, is to introduce the Piaggio P180 Avanti II to Indonesia following a signing at the show yesterday.

Susi Air ordered one of the Italian turboprops with two further options The first Avanti II will join Susi Air's existing fleet next week.

Earlier in the day Susi signed a deal with Cessna to purchase 30 of the Wichita company's Grand Caravan single-engined turboprops.

Susi Air currently operates from four main bases across the Indonesian archipelago. The airline and charter operator was established in late 2004 by husband and wife team Christian von Strombeck and Susi Pudjiastuti, it was originally setup to transport the fisheries cargo of sister company PT ASI Pudjiastuti in Aceh

In addition to its executive services, Susi Air launched scheduled flights (the company plans for 100,000 passengers in 2009) survey services, freight services and flight training centre in Pangandaran as the first step to establish a world-class flight training centre in Indonesia. The company already operates 10 Cessna Caravans.

Susi is now launching a Medevac service with the Avanti, which will be equipped with an ambulance kit allowing a quick reconfiguration.

Founder Susi Pudjiastuti says: "The Piaggio aircraft will allow us to introduce new and longer routes and offer our VIP costumers a new option at the lowest possible cost. It will meet our customer expectations in terms of comfort thanks to its remarkably spacious cabin. From Jakarta the P180 Avanti II can reach 90% of Indonesia's population non-stop and even the longest distance of 3,800km [2.050nm] to the farthest islands can be flown with one quick fuel stop."

Source: Flight Daily News

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