India's own 70-seater aircraft could fly by 2015

New Delhi: India might fly its own indigenously built 70-seater civilian aircraft in another seven to eight years, the programme director of the country's first self-built aircraft SARAS has said.
'We are already in the planning stages for a 70-seater aircraft. In another seven to eight years, we should be flying our own big aircraft,' SARAS programme director M.S. Chidananda told IANS from Mumbai.
The National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Banaglore, has already come up with two 14-seater SARAS planes built with Indian technology.
'The first SARAS prototype has already undertaken over 120 test flights, while the second prototype developed in April this year has gone for 12 test flights,' Chidananda said.
'We are working hard on the third aircraft now. It is expected to be ready by December 2008. The third plane will be equipped with a more powerful engine and will be more light,' he said.
Chidananda said India could start production of these planes on a commercial scale after 2009.
'We are discussing the commercial prospects with many companies in the private sector. We will zero in on a production agency soon,' he said.
12/08/07 Tomojit Bhattacharjee/India PRwire (Press Release)

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Categories: General Aviation Aug 2007, New Aug 2007