High-power panel okays short-haul aircraft

The possibility of taking short-distance flights from places such as Bangalore to Mangalore or Hubli or Mysore is now just a step closer.

A government-appointed 16-member high-power committee entrusted with the task of preparing a feasibility report for the development of the 90-seater regional transport aircraft (RTA-70) found a significant market potential for an indigenously developed passenger aircraft.

The committee gave its approval for the development of the aircraft. The feasibility report, to be submitted to the government by April next year, said the market potential for RTA-70 was huge that 500 aircrafts could be manufactured over the next 10 years.

Former Isro chairman Dr G Madhavan Nair (pictured), who is heading the committee comprising experts from the government, industry, financial institutions and regulatory authority, told DNA that the feasibility report foresaw a growing demand for civil aircraft in India and abroad.

"The committee's task was to study the market for the civilian aircraft for the next 10 years. From an optimist point of view, there is scope for manufacturing 500 aircraft over the next 10 years in India alone. The global market forecasts a market potential for 1,000 aircraft for which countries like China, Japan, Russia are also undertaking similar projects. Besides, there are existing players such as Bombardier and Embraer,  eyeing this market. So we would also like to explore the vast market,” he said.

The committee, part of the national civil aircraft development project, was also entrusted with working out details on the configuration design, airframe, subsystems engine etc in the feasibility report. Nair said the committee is looking for private partnership and also collaboration with foreign companies.

“We are looking at participation of private players and also foreign collaboration for the development of the engine as it was found that it would be more economical and will save a lot of time,” said Nair. 

Bangalore-based National Aerospace Laboratories, which will be responsible for undertaking detailed engineering design for the new aircraft, has already established a design bureau, addressing various engineering issues related to aircraft configuration, sub-system definition, test and qualification programmes.

Design and development of the prototype is estimated to be about `5,000 crore and is expected to roll out for trails by 2016.