India’s Homegrown Passenger Plane To Fly Again, First Flight Expected In June

The first flight of India’s re-engined and modified passenger jet SARAS is expected to take off this June, Times of India has reported, reviving hopes that India’s three-decade-old plan to build an indigenous passenger jet will finally materialise.

Placed on the back-burner after the crash of a prototype in 2009 that killed a three-member Indian Air Force (IAF) crew, the programme was revived by the government as a part of its push for affordable regional air connectivity.

Now, the Bengaluru-based National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) has handed over a reconfigured prototype to IAF’s Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). The testing centre has conducted a few low-speed ground runs.

“The engine tests have already begun. The low-speed taxi and high-speed taxi trials are expected to be completed by the end of this month. After that, the ASTE will do the first flight most probably in the first week of June,” Times of India quoted Jitendra J Jadhav, director of National Aerospace Laboratories, as saying.

The 19-seater SARAS will have a maximum takeoff weight of 6,100 kg and a maximum payload of 1,232 kg. Manufacturing of two limited series prototypes of SARAS will require Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore.

Meanwhile, the government is also planning to start a separate programme to build a bigger, 50-70 seat commercial aircraft. Feasibility study for the project, which would need a private party to manufacture, has been completed.