Table of Contents
The first flight in the skies of the archipelago
Indonesia’s first aircraft
The oldest airport in Indonesia
Jakarta, goldensamoyed Indonesia
—
Air transportation in
Indonesia
now growing rapidly.
Plane
from various airlines going back and forth in the skies of the archipelago, connecting the islands from Sabang to Merauke.
However, before achieving progress like now, the world of Indonesian aviation went through a long journey, starting even before this country was called “Indonesia”.
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The first flight in the skies of the archipelago
The sky of Surabaya recorded history on February 18 1913. That day, for the first time a plane took to the skies over the Dutch East Indies.It was Johan Willem Emile Louis Hilgers, a man from Probolinggo, who became an aviation pioneer in the archipelago.
The plane, which was imported directly from the Netherlands, managed to fly for 23 minutes before finally crashing in the bamboo forest of Baliwerti Village.Even though the test failed, this event was an early milestone in the progress of aviation in Indonesia.
From there, various flight experiments continued to be carried out with increasingly developing technology.
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After various experiments, history recorded another important moment in 1924, the first flight from Amsterdam to Batavia (now Jakarta).The journey took 55 days with stops in 20 cities before finally landing in Cililitan.
This success is a positive signal for the Dutch East Indies aviation world.The colonial government then increasingly aggressively built airfields in various cities such as Bandung, Semarang and Yogyakarta, which would later become an important part of the national aviation network.
Indonesia’s first aircraft
Time passed, and Indonesia finally had its own aircraft: RI-001 Seulawah.The name “Seulawah” means Golden Mountain in the Acehnese language, a symbol of the contribution of the Acehnese people in 1948 to support the struggle for independence.
This aircraft is not only a national pride, but also the forerunner to the founding of Garuda Indonesia, the nation’s proud airline which now flies in various parts of the world.
The oldest airport in Indonesia
Long traces of aviation history can also be found at a number of Indonesia’s oldest airports, some of which date back to colonial times.
Yogyakarta Adisutjipto Airport, built around 1930, became the center of operations for Indonesian fighters during the revolution.This airport was the heart of Indonesian aviation in the early days of independence.
Meanwhile, Jakarta’s Kemayoran Airport is listed as the first international airport in Indonesia.Active since 1940, the airport ceased operations in 1985.
Outside Java, there is Polonia Medan Airport (MES) which opened in 1948. Starting from a small runway, Polonia developed into the main gateway to North Sumatra before finally being replaced by Kualanamu Airport.
Of course, the history of aviation in Indonesia cannot be separated from the services of figures who were pioneers in their field, namely:
•
Augustine Adisutjipto
Known as the Father of Indonesian Aviation, he was Indonesia’s first military pilot.Died in 1947, his name was immortalized as Adisutjipto Yogyakarta Airport.
•
Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo
A pioneer of national aircraft known as the Father of Indonesian Aerospace.His dedication paved the way for the advancement of aviation technology in the country.
•
B. J. Habibie
The 3rd President of the Republic of Indonesia has become a symbol of the glory of the national aerospace industry.Through IPTN (Indonesian Aircraft Industry), Habibie gave birth to the N-250 Gatotkaca aircraft and instilled the belief that this nation was capable of creating its own aviation technology.
(ana/tis)
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