BAE Systems announced at the LIMA ‘09 International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in Langkawi that it has clinched another sale of a BAE 146 regional jetliner into Indonesia.

PT Aviastar Mandiri, a certified air charter operator, has bought a BAe 146-200 which has just been delivered, and will be operated on behalf of Transnusa Air Services in a 98 seat all-economy layout. It will be based at Denpasar Airport in Bali and will operate to destinations in East Nusa Tenggara.

Indonesia is becoming a very strong market for the BAe 146/Avro RJ family and so far this year BAE Systems has placed four aircraft into the country. Aviastar Mandiri bought another BAe 146-200 in June, while PT Nusantara Air Charter also bought a Series 200 passenger airliner from BAE Systems and a Series 200QT (Quiet Trader) freighter in a deal brokered by BAE Systems in the summer.

Mr Raj Singh, Director Sales and Leasing Asia for BAE Systems Regional Aircraft said: “Indonesia is a very receptive market for us at the moment and we are actively engaged in further discussions with a number of operators. The geography of the country means that regional air transport can often be the only reliable means of getting passengers and goods from one area to another. The BAe 146/Avro RJ family has the airfield performance, economics and price tag to make it a strong contender for these roles.”

There are three variants of the aircraft operating with seven carriers in Indonesia – a total of 11 aircraft so far.

Scheduled and charter passenger operations are carried out by PT Riau Airlines with two Avro RJ100s, by Aviastar Mandiri with two BAe 146-200s, by PT Manunggal Air with two BAe 146-100s, by PT Nusantara Air Charter with its Series 200 and by PT Air Maleo with a single BAe 146-100.

Freighter operations are carried out by the BAe 146-200QT operated by PT Nusantara Air Charter.

Two Avro Business Jet variants are operated by PT Pelita Air Service (one RJ85) and by PT Airfast Indonesia who fly a corporately-configured BAe 146-100 on behalf of Metro TV, Indonesia’s first 24-hour news station.