Back in the 1980s, the diminutive Dornier 228 (Do-228) was part of a fleet that connected some remote corners of the country. Now, three decades later—and after a couple of ambitious homegrown civilian aircraft projects—the Dornier can possibly lay claim to be the first light transport aircraft for civilian use that will be fully manufactured in India. That’s because the aircraft recently received a type certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which would allow it to resume civilian duties. It’s a second innings of sorts for the 19-seater airplane manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
Ever since Vayudoot—the feeder airline service started in 1981 when today’s bustling small towns were actually remote outbacks—shut down in the mid-1990s, the Do-228 has mostly been a military aircraft in India apart from flying with the Coast Guard. With the DGCA certification—the standards globally for civilian aircraft are tougher than military aircraft—the Dornier can enter the fray as the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme or UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) rolls out.
“The Do-228’s commercial flight certification by DGCA is a positive development,” says Amber Dubey, partner and India head of Aerospace and Defence at global consultancy KPMG. He reckons it provides an alternative to other 19-seaters like the Canadian DHC Twin Otters, the Czech-made L-410 and the PZL M28 (now owned by Lockheed Martin).
The Do-228 was designed by German aircraft-maker Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH from whom HAL bought a production license in 1983 to manufacture these planes for the Asian market. So far, HAL’s Kanpur division has produced around 130 Dornier aircraft for the Indian Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, early airline ventures like Vayudoot besides exporting to Mauritius and Seychelles. Some of the other Indian customers included UB Air, Vijay Mallya’s maiden airline venture and Shimla-based Jagson Airlines.
HAL reckons the upgraded version, Do-228-201, is best suited under the Make in India category for UDAN. Its chairman T. Suvarna Raju has previously said that the company sees ‘big business opportunity in this segment for the next 10 years’. People in the know claim that around 15 agencies, many of them domestic airlines, have shown interest.
A year ago, while on a visit to the Kanpur facility, minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha said there was a demand for at least 200 aircraft in the category. Back in the 1980s, the Vayudoot fleet of ten Do-228s largely depended on Dornier GmbH for spares. That’s no longer the situation, aviation industry veterans point out. “Product support will never be a problem whosoever operates this aircraft. The only suggestion I would make to the government and various airlines is that a plan be worked out for the next 5-10 years,” says A.K. Saxena, a former MD (Bangalore complex) at HAL. “In the aircraft industry, we need a plan for 5-6 years because materials have to be imported so that we can keep churning out the aircraft engines, accessories, systems and avionics.” The Dornier is suited for shorter routes and, in all fairness, is an indigenously produced aircraft, he adds.
22/01/18 Ajay Sukumaran/Outlook
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Ever since Vayudoot—the feeder airline service started in 1981 when today’s bustling small towns were actually remote outbacks—shut down in the mid-1990s, the Do-228 has mostly been a military aircraft in India apart from flying with the Coast Guard. With the DGCA certification—the standards globally for civilian aircraft are tougher than military aircraft—the Dornier can enter the fray as the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme or UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) rolls out.
“The Do-228’s commercial flight certification by DGCA is a positive development,” says Amber Dubey, partner and India head of Aerospace and Defence at global consultancy KPMG. He reckons it provides an alternative to other 19-seaters like the Canadian DHC Twin Otters, the Czech-made L-410 and the PZL M28 (now owned by Lockheed Martin).
The Do-228 was designed by German aircraft-maker Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH from whom HAL bought a production license in 1983 to manufacture these planes for the Asian market. So far, HAL’s Kanpur division has produced around 130 Dornier aircraft for the Indian Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, early airline ventures like Vayudoot besides exporting to Mauritius and Seychelles. Some of the other Indian customers included UB Air, Vijay Mallya’s maiden airline venture and Shimla-based Jagson Airlines.
HAL reckons the upgraded version, Do-228-201, is best suited under the Make in India category for UDAN. Its chairman T. Suvarna Raju has previously said that the company sees ‘big business opportunity in this segment for the next 10 years’. People in the know claim that around 15 agencies, many of them domestic airlines, have shown interest.
A year ago, while on a visit to the Kanpur facility, minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha said there was a demand for at least 200 aircraft in the category. Back in the 1980s, the Vayudoot fleet of ten Do-228s largely depended on Dornier GmbH for spares. That’s no longer the situation, aviation industry veterans point out. “Product support will never be a problem whosoever operates this aircraft. The only suggestion I would make to the government and various airlines is that a plan be worked out for the next 5-10 years,” says A.K. Saxena, a former MD (Bangalore complex) at HAL. “In the aircraft industry, we need a plan for 5-6 years because materials have to be imported so that we can keep churning out the aircraft engines, accessories, systems and avionics.” The Dornier is suited for shorter routes and, in all fairness, is an indigenously produced aircraft, he adds.
22/01/18 Ajay Sukumaran/Outlook
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