REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA -- Although he has a doctorate title and taught at several universities, but the eldest son of former President BJ Habibie, Ilham A Habibie apparently not eager to snatch the title of professor like his father.
His preoccupations as an entrepreneurs and an activist in social organization makes him not to think too much to be a professor.
"I have not become a professor. In Indonesia to be a professor one should teach routinly, I do not have time," he said on a sideline of graduation ceremony of Ahmad Dahlan University (UAD) Yogyakarta, Saturday (16/11).
The Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Muslim Merchant claimed that he has taught at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) for two years and six years in Germany. But after that he was busy being a businessman and an activist in various social activities.
"My time is running out, half of it for business activities, and the other half for social activities. So I do not want to be a professor," he said.
But according to him, it was not something static. Once he is having spare times he could have change his mind.
"This is not a static thing, it could be changed," he said with a smile.
Currently, Ilham A Habibie is a Commiioner of PT Ragio Aviasi Industri (RAI), a company that will produce Regio Prop 80 airplane, known as R80 plane. The plane is an upgrade of his last design N250. It was aimed to meet the Indonesia`s air transportation needs.
Ilham said, on August, that the manufacture of R80 has been at the early stage or 10 percent of its total production.
R80`s capabilities, design, and technology were similar to N250, except its size that is larger and longer, Ilham explained, adding that R80 will still use a propeller above its fuselage as that of the N250.
"By using propeller, fuel`s consumption would be more efficient," he said as quoted from Antara.
He pointed out that the R80 was designed to fly in distance of less than 600 kilometers so that the airplanes could be more efficient of fuel`s use.
Meanwhile, the manufacture of R80 at the early stages reportedly needs 400 million U.S. dollars.
According to his father, B.J Habibie the R80 would be much better than N250 airplane.
"The company (PT RAI) will make it better than N250. It`s a surprise, you`ll see it," Habibie said on last August.
He added, the R80`s engineers will learn from experiences when they made N250 airplane. The 80-passengers capacity of R80 is scheduled to fly in 2018.
According to reports, local Sriwijaya Air subsidiary, PT NAM Air, which targeted middle class consumers, has ordered 100 units of R80 planes.
NAM Air President Jefferson Jauwena said the production the 80 passengers' aircraft will be completely constructed in 2018. 100 aircrafts ordered by the company; 50 units will be a firm order and other 50 units were optional.
Although the plane is a domestically designed aircraft, the company did not hesitate to express its quality.
"N250 aircraft was designed in PT DI (Indonesian Aerospace company) a decade ago, and it's an evidence of good quality," he said on a launching ceremony of NAM Air in Jakarta, Thursday (26/9).
About the price, Director of Sriwijaya Air Chandra Lie claimed that they have not negotiate yet with RAI which was a joint venture of PT Ilthabie Rekatama, owned by Ilham Habibie and PT Eagle Capital owned by the former President Director of Indonesia Stock Exchange Erry Firmansyah.
"About the price we have not negotiate yet. However, we are optimistic that local financing institutions will be able to afford the plane," he said.
Ed: Heri Ruslan
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