Light passenger flight on scientist’s ‘runway’

Berhampur (Orrisa): Kota Harinarayana, the chief designer of the light combat aircraft, has now mooted the idea of manufacturing a light passenger aircraft.
Now working at the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), a Government- run institute at Bangalore as Raja Ramanna Fellow, Harinarayana was here to receive Doctor of Science (D.Sc) at Berhampur University convocation.
In an informal address to the mediapersons after the function, he spoke about his ideas on the proposed aircraft.
The aircraft would be light weight, accommodates 50 to 70 passengers, fuel efficient and able to land in shorter runways without much infrastructure, said the former vice-chancellor of University of Hyderabad.
Such an aircraft is needed in the country to make air-connectivity across districts which would help in the economic development besides putting the unutilised airstrips to use, he said.
There are about 450 small airstrips across the country but most are unutilised, with only 66 airports operating at present, he said.
Although small aircraft operate in other countries, the proposed aircraft would be different from others and cost and fuel efficient. If the work for this type of passenger aircraft starts this year, India would be able to manufacture a full-fledged aircraft in 2013-14, he said adding the project cost would be around Rs 2,000 crore.
10/06/08 Newindpress

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Categories: New Jun 2008