Looking for a weekend experience in Bandung, West Java, beyond its bustling cafes and familiar attractions? Step inside Indonesian Aerospace (PT DI) to discover the country’s leading aircraft manufacturer and go behind the scenes of how aircraft are designed, assembled, and brought to life. The journey is even more fascinating when you ride the distinctive DI Edubus.
Most people visit Bandung for its cool climate, creative cafés and heritage streets. Yet tucked beside Husein Sastranegara International Airport lies one of the city’s most unexpected attractions, and a place where Indonesia’s aviation dreams have taken shape for five decades.
Established in 1976, PT DI (PT Dirgantara Indonesia) is the country’s premier aerospace manufacturer and one of Asia’s leading aircraft producers, providing services ranging from aircraft design and testing to manufacturing and maintenance for both civil and military aviation. However, as its factory is located within a secured bonded area under the supervision of the Indonesian Air Force, it has remained off-limits to the public for decades.
That changed in 2023 when PT DI introduced the DI Edutainment Factory Tour, transforming what was once an exclusive industrial complex into a fascinating educational destination. As part of the company’s commitment to inspiring future generations through its corporate social responsibility programme, the initiative invites school groups, aviation enthusiasts and curious travellers to experience the world of aircraft manufacturing up close.
Far from a conventional factory visit, the tour presents aviation in an engaging and accessible way. The experience begins aboard the distinctive DI Edubus, a sightseeing vehicle inspired by Bandung’s iconic Bandros buses, which takes visitors on a guided journey through PT DI’s expansive production complex.
The real journey into the world of aviation begins after passing the Nurtanio Building, the company’s central management office named after Rear Admiral (Posthumous) Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo, the designer of Indonesia’s first all-metal aircraft—the Sikumbang—in 1954. Travelling through the heart of the facility, visitors are taken behind the scenes of every stage of aircraft manufacturing, from the receiving hangar where raw materials first arrive, to the workshops where components are fabricated and coated, before reaching the assembly hangars where fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters gradually take shape. Watching thousands of individual components come together as fully assembled aircraft offers a rare glimpse into the precision, craftsmanship and innovation that define Indonesia’s aerospace industry.
Alongside its established aircraft platforms, PT DI continues to develop the N219, a light utility aircraft designed entirely by Indonesian engineers. With a Domestic Component Level (TKDN) of approximately 44.69 percent, the programme reflects the company’s commitment to strengthening Indonesia’s aerospace capabilities and local manufacturing industry.
One of the tour’s highlights is the chance to step off the DI Edubus and get up close to the N219, PT DI’s newest aircraft. Developed to improve connectivity across Indonesia’s remote and archipelagic regions, the N219 has received its airworthiness certification from Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), while an amphibious variant capable of operating on both land and water is currently under development. Visitors are even invited to step inside the aircraft—and into the cockpit—for a rare first-hand look at the engineering and design behind one of Indonesia’s proudest aviation achievements.
Emphasising the significance of the aircraft, Adi Prastowo, PT DI Manager of Institutional Relations and Corporate Communication, explained that the N219 represented a milestone for Indonesia’s aerospace industry.
“PT DI has exported products to 14 countries and continues to develop the N219 aircraft as part of our commitment to strengthening the national aerospace industry. The N219 is PT DI’s latest aircraft and a product of Indonesia’s own talent, developed and manufactured entirely without the involvement of foreign workers,” he said. “The name itself carries a special meaning: ‘N’ stands for Nusantara, ‘2’ represents its twin engines, and ‘19’ refers to its 19-passenger capacity. We currently have two prototypes—the first made its maiden flight in 2017 and has accumulated more than 400 flight hours, while the second has exceeded 200 flight hours.”
Prastowo added that the N219 had already secured its first government and commercial orders. The Indonesian Army has ordered six aircraft, which are currently in production, while PT Mitra Aviasi Perkasa has signed a landmark contract to purchase four.
The DI Edutainment Factory Tour concludes with a display of several of PT DI’s most notable aircraft. Among them are the legendary N250 Krincingwesi, Indonesia’s pioneering turboprop aircraft; the Black Eagle, an unmanned aerial vehicle; and the versatile CN235, one of PT DI’s greatest success stories. Originally developed through a collaboration between Indonesia and Spain’s CASA, the aircraft is now manufactured independently by PT DI and continues to serve both domestic and international operators. To date, PT DI has produced more than 70 CN235s and over 480 NC212s, remaining the world’s only manufacturer to continue producing both models.
The experience ends at the Mock Up Building, where visitors can explore scale models of PT DI’s aircraft, subsidiaries and industry partners before stepping inside a full-size CN235 cabin. It provides a fitting finale to a tour that offers a rare insight into Indonesia’s achievements in aerospace engineering and innovation.
The DI Edutainment Factory Tour is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 8.30am to 4pm, with tickets priced at IDR 40,000 per person. As part of PT DI’s Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) programme, free educational tours for senior secondary school and university students are also available every Friday.
For a more exclusive experience, visitors can opt for the Landy Tour. Conducted aboard a classic Land Rover, it offers a more private and distinctive way to explore the expansive aerospace complex. Tour packages are available as Landy Hijau at IDR 55,000 per person or Landy Privat at IDR 400,000 per trip, which includes a longer tour duration, plus complimentary souvenirs and refreshments.
PT Dirgantara Indonesia
Jl. Pajajaran No. 154, Bandung,
West Java
@officialptdi
indonesian-aerospace.com
DI Edutainment Factory Tour
Jl. Kapten Tata Negara, Husein Sastranegara, Cicendo, Bandung,
West Java
(In front of DI Runway 29 Cafe/Pos PT DI)
@di_edutainment
