Jakarta. The presidential plane can now finally land at Indonesia’s future capital city of Nusantara, according to Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi. 

The announcement came not long after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo complained about having to transit at the Balikpapan airport during a recent trip to Nusantara. The government already conducted a takeoff-landing test at the airport in August, but had not done so with a presidential plane.  The August test used the King Air-200 PK CAO plane and was successful. Budi said Friday that another landing test had taken place earlier that day: this time, the trial used a type that has the similar specifications as a presidential plane. 

“Just an hour ago, I got word from the Indonesian Air Force and the Transportation Ministry that the takeoff and landing test was a success,” Budi told the press on the margins of the Jakartaglobe.id Forum. 

“So when Mr. President wishes to visit Nusantara, [the presidential plane] should have been able to land at the Nusantara airport,” Budi said. 

Just last week, Jokowi came to Nusantara to start working from the new capital although he would still be traveling across the Indonesian archipelago as usual. Jokowi’s presidential aircraft landed at the nearby Balikpapan’s Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan airport last Thursday. He then flew to the Nusantara on an Air Force helicopter which landed on the city’s helipad. 

The government aims to have the airport’s construction finished by the end of the year.  Construction work has already reached three-quarters in progress.