The IPTN N-250 is a regional aircraft commuter turboprop, an original design by the Indonesian firm IPTN , N letter in front of -250 stands for Nurtanio or Nusantara and 250 denotes a twin-engined aircraft with a capacity of 50 passengers. This aircraft was IPTN's first major effort to win the market share of the regional turboprop class of 50–70 seat airliners. The aircraft was the star exhibit at the 1996 Indonesian Air Show in Cengkareng, but its development was eventually cancelled after the Asian financial crisis of 1998.
Design and development
The N-250 development plan was first revealed by PT IPTN at the Paris Air Show in 1989, but was first introduced in 1986 when the Indonesian Air Show 1986 was held. The first prototype, serial number PA-1 with a capacity of 50 passengers, flew on 10 August 1995. The Second prototype, a stretched variant with a capacity of 70 passengers named N250-100, was planned to have its first flight on May 1996, but this was delayed and the plane was instead first flown on 19 December 1996. The third and fourth prototypes were planned to first fly on July 1996 and September 1996 respectively, but construction for both aircraft were halted due to the financial meltdown in Asia the following year.
After the cancellation
There has been some consideration concerning the program's revival by former director of the IPTN and, later, former Indonesian president BJ Habibie after having received approval from the incumbent president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. However, to reduce production costs and improve price competitiveness in international markets, changes were made which have resulted in reduced performance such as a reduction in engine capacity, and the removal of the fly-by-wire system. The planned reborn plane was planned to be named N250R. In August 2012, both developing parties, Erry Firmansyah of PT Eagle Cap and PT Regio Aviasi Industri, led by both of Habibie's sons, agreed to finance N-250. It will use a new name, R-80. On 26 September 2013, Nam Air signed an order for 50 R-80 with an option for 50 more aircraft, to be delivered in 2018. On 22 February, RAI signed a memorandum of understanding with Leonardo Aerostructures to help fund and complete the development of the R-80. The company hoped to build four hundred R-80 aircraft over 20 years. It completed a preliminary design and feasibility test of the 80-90 seat aircraft in, and hoped to finish detail designing and prototype manufacturing by. RAI planned to build six prototypes, with flight testing from to, and targeted issuance of a type certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency in. The price of the R-80 would be USD$25 million. B.J. Habibie advocated production of the plane as its only rival, the Fokker 50, was no longer in production because of Fokker Aviation's bankruptcy in 1996.
