Indonesian state-owned aerospace company, PTDI (PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Indonesian Aerospace) has delivered a Bell 412EPI helicopter to the Indonesian Army on December 29 2019. Under the contract signed between the Indonesian Ministry of Defense and PTDI, Bell will deliver the nine helicopters to PTDI, who will then perform customization work before final delivery to the Indonesian Army. In 2012, Bell and PTDI signed an Industrial and Commercial Agreement which enabled the two companies to expand their support and services in Indonesia to Bell helicopter operators. The agreement was subsequently renewed in 2016. Bell and PTDI’s relationship goes back more than 30 years.
PTDI’s role in this collaboration is as a helicopter assembler and its weapons. The company will install FFAR (Fin Folding Aerial Rocket), gattling gun from Dillon Aerospace or FN MAGand bullets from PT Pindad (Persero) in the helicopter. The assembly of the Bell-412 EPI utility helicopter took 6-24 months. After that, PTDI will conduct an operational feasibility test and train pilots and technicians of the Indonesian Army. The 412 EPI helicopter in terms of appearance is not much different from the Bell-412 EP which has been operated by the Indonesian Army Aviation Center (Puspenerbad) since a few years ago. But the Bell-412 EPI has a more powerful engine and more sophisticated avionics.
The Bell 412 is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor. The Bell 412EPi is latest variant of the Bell 412 helicopter and an upgrade of the 412EP (Enhanced Performance). In 2013 Bell introduced the 412EPI which includes an electronic (Digital) engine control for a PT6T-9 engine upgrade, and a glass cockpit display system similar to the Bell model 429. Also featured is a Garmin touchscreen navigation system, and the BLR Strake and Fast Fin upgrades for improved hover performance. The Bell 412 is used by military and commercial operators.
Headquartered in Bandung, Indonesia, PTDI is one of the indigenous aerospace companies in Asia with core competences in aircraft structure manufacturing, aircraft production, services for both civilian and military. Since established in August 1976, under the auspices of the Ministry of State Owned Enterprises. PTDI have another collaboration project with Airbus Helicopters for various kinds of helicopters and Bell Textron Inc. in producing the tail boom, door assembly, door post, pylon and ducts for the Bell 412 and Huey II helicopters. Other than that, PTDI and Bell Textron Inc. are having another intense collaboration to do joint sales & marketing for the Bell 412EPI, customization, as well as maintenance.
