Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has carried out a successful ground run and Low Speed Taxi Trials (LSTT) of a prototype Hindustan-228 aircraft, a potential commercial aircraft after Type Certification by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Hindustan-228 aircraft is a variant of HAL manufactured Do-228 aircraft which is already deployed under the UDAN scheme. Hindustan-228 aircraft is being certified to the latest international airworthiness standards with modern avionics system and will be suitable for operations under UDAN scheme.
HAL Kanpur carried out the first Engine Ground Run of Hindustan-228 aircraft on May 27 in coordination with the DGCA team. Further ground runs were also carried out for testing of various systems. Subsequently, the LSTT was carried August 15 and the required test parameters were met.
#WATCH | HAL successfully carried out the Ground Run and Low-Speed Taxi Trials (LSTT) of the Hindustan-228 (VT-KNR) aircraft for DGCA ‘Type Certification’, in Kanpur yesterday pic.twitter.com/jpBR74MymW
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 16, 2021
Currently, HAL has entered into an agreement with Alliance Air on September 26 for dry leasing of its two Do-228 aircrafts for deployment in the north-eastern region.
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Monday, informed that the total funds sanctioned and released by HAL for this project is Rs 72.33 crore for the prototype manufacturing and type certification from DGCA. Additionally, Rs 266.85 crore have been sanctioned by HAL for the manufacturing of six more aircrafts.
