HAL-Built Dornier 228 Aircraft Could Be Flying Commercial Regional Flights In Europe Soon

In welcome news for the Indian aviation industry, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-built Dornier 228 aircraft may soon be flying commercial regional flights in Europe.

“Now the Dornier can be used for commercial use in Europe also. This is a big achievement for our make in India program,” Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Arun Kumar has been quoted as saying in a report by the Economic Times.

The 19-seater aircraft had received its type certification (TC) from the DGCA earlier in 2017, and has now received the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)‘s approval for the TC. DGCA confirmed the development through a tweet.

The Dornier 228 has been envisioned to provide for regional air connectivity under the UDAN scheme which seeks to connect smaller towns and remote parts of the country by air. The plane is capable of night flying and has a range of 700 km.

“The 19 seater HAL Dornier-228 aircraft is a highly versatile multi-purpose light transport aircraft. It has been developed specifically to meet the manifold requirements of utility and commuter transport, third level services and air-taxi operations, coast guard duties and maritime surveillance,” the plane’s description at the HAL website reads.