New Saras prototype to start flying next year

Bangalore: As India’s first passenger aircraft project, Saras, struggles to get back on its feet after a crash last year, the programme managers are assembling a new prototype to start flying by March next year besides seeking funding for a fourth test plane.
The 14-seater Saras aircraft project has been grounded for the past 15 months after its second prototype crashed in Bangalore during a test flight, an accident attributed to faulty procedure during an engine re-light demonstration.
“The production-standard aircraft is under assembly. Our expectation is that by the end of the financial year we should be able to fly it,” said AR Upadhya, director of National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) which is building the plane. “We are confident we will hit it this time with the weight reduction target, a higher powered engine, an autopilot and everything working. We hope this aircraft will be very close to the series production.”
Upadhya said NAL has approached the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for funds of Rs 40 crore to build another production-standard aircraft. “We have generally been advised that in a programme of this nature there should be at least two,” he said.
15/06/10 Financial Express

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jun 2010, New Jun 2010