'Saras under review, won't be stopped'

Bangalore: A day after NAL's Saras PT2 crashed, killing three pilots, NAL director A R Upadhya admitted it was a setback but there's no question of stopping the project. He told Sunday Times of India that a review of the Saras programme will be done to see what went wrong. Excerpts:
Will the crash affect NAL's Saras programme?
The Union minister for civil aviation, director-general of CSIR and secretary, department of science and technology, assured me the programme won't be stopped. They've expressed full support for its completion and conveyed they will stand by NAL during this crisis.
What is the next course of action?
We will review the entire programme. This doesn't mean ending the project, but to see what went wrong and how we can set it right. The DGCA will hold a court of inquiry. A team of experts from IAF, NAL, DGCA and CSIR will investigate the crash and submit its findings to the court, which will give its verdict.
Will NAL analysts go back to the drawings to understand the crash?
The verdict will determine whether we go to the drawings or elsewhere. Wherever correction needs to be effected, it will be done. It is too early now to say how and where we will begin the correction.
Will Saras PT3 fly?
As of now, yes. It is being readied for flight around year-end or beginning of next year. But we'll take that flight only after we're clear about what went wrong with PT2. The findings will determine our decision on PT3.
08/03/09 Times of India

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Mar 2009, New Mar 2009, Safety Mar 2009