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Getting Up Close with the World of Aerospace at PTDI

My experience becoming a Media Indonesia Child Reporter, coinciding with PT Dirgantara Indonesia's (PTDI) anniversary, was so much fun.

It started on August 18, 2026, when I was on holiday with my family. Well, my teacher, Mrs. Safitry, sent me the link for the Child Reporter (Repcil) competition. I was really interested in joining. In the end, I tried registering.

When I got home, I registered right away and made an introduction video because I was afraid of being late. The next day, my mom woke me up for school and said, "Hey, you were chosen as one of the top 50 Child Reporters!"

I was so shocked! Then, on Saturday, August 22, 2026, I took part in the Child Reporter training via Zoom. I was so happy to be chosen as a Child Reporter.

On Monday, August 24, 2026, my friends and I visited PT Dirgantara Indonesia for a factory visit. When we arrived, we were given a Child Reporter vest and cap, then took photos near a car made by B.J. Habibie. It felt so exciting!

After that, I went into the B.J. Habibie Auditorium. I was so happy! There, my friends and I were given breakfast in the form of light snacks.

There were three groups. My name was in group 3. It turned out I was grouped with my friends from SDN 243 Cicabe named Safia from class 5A, Zarina from class 4F, and Akca from class 6D.

Then, the Repcil event was opened by the committee members. After that, we would have interviews, but in turns, since it wasn't possible for all three groups to go to the interview location together.

The group that went first was group 1. Meanwhile, groups 2 and 3 played games first. After that, a Bandros bus picked up group 2, then picked up my group, group 3.

Inside the Bandros, we were told a lot about the different places within PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

Visiting the Mock-up Gallery

The first place we visited was the Mock-up Gallery Building. There, we were given an explanation by Mr. Cepi Napisa about the different types of aircraft.

The types of aircraft that have been made by PT Dirgantara Indonesia include the NC212i, CN235, and N219.

After that, my friends and I visited the FAL (Final Assembly Line) hangar. There, we interviewed staff members at PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

I, together with Rafa, interviewed one of the staff, Mr. Teguh Imawan. Mr. Teguh's position is Manager of Production Planning and Control.

Mr. Teguh chose to work at PT Dirgantara Indonesia because, since he was a child, he had always loved the world of aircraft.

During the interview, he explained about aircraft components. There are five components: the fuselage, wing, stabilizer, engine, and landing gear.

In aircraft, there are also terms like thrust (forward force), drag (resistance), lift (upward force), and weight. All four are forces that play an important role in aircraft flight.

Then, Rafa asked, "Why are almost all the planes here green?"

Mr. Teguh answered, "The base color of the aircraft is indeed a primer color, used to protect the components from oxidation so they don't rust."

At the end of the interview, I asked, "What message do you have for Indonesian children who want to work at PT Dirgantara Indonesia?"

He answered, "You have to keep your initiative, be consistent, disciplined, and most importantly, be honest."

After the interview, we all took a group photo. Then, we went back to the B.J. Habibie Auditorium.

Meeting the PTDI Directors

We were given lunch and given time for prayer. After that, I went straight to join my friends for the meal together.

After the break, there was an interview session with the directors. When the directors arrived, they introduced themselves right away.

The first was Mrs. Dhias Widhiyati. She serves as the Finance Director. She told us that she originally worked at a bank, and was later offered a job at PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

Mrs. Dhias explained about the cost of building an aircraft, which can reach around Rp700 billion. Wow, why is it so expensive? Because the materials for the aircraft alone cost around Rp420 billion. And that's just the materials, not counting other costs.

Then, Mrs. Dhias told us not to be afraid of having dreams.

"All of you shouldn't be afraid to have dreams. You must have big dreams and not think negatively if you want to succeed."

Next was Mr. Dena Hendriana, who serves as the Production Director. He explained that the aircraft he is proudest of is the N219, because it is the work of Indonesia's own children.

The N219 aircraft also has the ability to operate not only on asphalt runways, but also on uneven surfaces. It turns out that PT Dirgantara Indonesia is also developing this aircraft so that it can land on water.

PT Dirgantara Indonesia had also already built a more environmentally friendly aircraft back in 2021, but it hadn't been released yet at that time.

After the directors explained various things and interacted directly with us in a Q&A session, we moved into the writing session. What we wrote told the story as if we were real reporters.

I really enjoyed writing something like this. For me, this was a new experience that broadened my knowledge about the world of aircraft.

An Unforgettable Experience

Before we knew it, we had reached the end of the event: the closing of Media Indonesia's Repcil program together with PT Dirgantara Indonesia. Then, we all took a group photo.

I am so proud to have been a Child Reporter and to have met the directors of PT Dirgantara Indonesia. I learned so much, especially about the world of aircraft.

I'm proud to have been a Child Reporter!

Thank you, Media Indonesia and PT Dirgantara Indonesia, for giving us, the children of Indonesia, the opportunity to get to know the world of aviation better.

Happy anniversary, PT Dirgantara Indonesia! Jaya, jaya, jaya! Success in the skies! (B-3)

Source: https://mediaindonesia.com/humaniora/926988/mengenal-dunia-dirgantara-dari-dekat-di-ptdi