Plans afoot for Indian Regional Jet

Kasargod: Propelling its aviation ambitions to newer heights, India is planning a Regional Jet with the capacity to carry 70 to 100 passengers.

The Ministries of Defence and Civil Aviation have approved the plan and have asked HAL to prepare a roadmap for the project. It will not be an indigenous venture as the government is planning to enter into a memorandum of understanding with one of the two major names in the industry.

“We will be considering Canada’s Bombardier or Brazil’s Embraer as a prospective partner. Once the design and other basic plans are prepared, we will seek technical expertise from one of them," top sources told to this website's newspaper.
As a first step to give the Indian Regional Jet a takeoff, the government has decided to manufacture a limited series of Saras, the 14-seater passenger aircraft made by the National Aeronautical Laboratory.

After the initial euphoria, Saras was ignored till a highlevel meeting held last week decided to direct HAL to make 10 of them. Though private sector major L&T was also in the reckoning, the decision went in favour of HAL given its track record. “HAL’s Kanpur division can take care of this. The work will start soon and we hope to have the first in the series flying by 2012," sources said. “Our plan is to have the first IRJ flying within six to seven years. We’re confident of meeting this deadline," pointed out Pradeep Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production).

He said that as soon as the HAL submitted its blueprint, the government would initiate the next phase of activity.

24/08/08 Manoj K Das/Newindpress

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