National

Partner yet to be found for Saras

— Photo: Special Arrangement

The second prototype of Saras.

BANGALORE: The inability to find a production agency for its 14-seater turboprop Light Transport Aircraft, Saras, is continuing to prevent the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) from securing an order from the Indian Air Force (IAF). Though NAL, a Council for Scientific and Industrial Research laboratory, has been in exploratory talks with private players such as Larsen and Toubro and Taneja Aerospace, an industrial partner to produce India’s first commercial civilian aircraft is yet to be found.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the country premier aircraft manufacturer, has already expressed its inability to be associated with the production of the Saras.

Says M.S. Chidananda, Programme Director of NAL’s Civil Aviation programme and Head of the Centre for Civil Aircraft Design and Development: “We have to have an industrial partner, who will produce the Saras, provide training, and ensure a continued supply of spares, product support and possibly even maintenance.

Without an industrial partner, the IAF will not look at us seriously.”

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major during a recent visit to NAL echoed the IAF’s thoughts when he said: “Let them [NAL] first find an industrial partner first.”

The IAF is looking for an aircraft that will supplement and possibly even replace its 23-strong Dornier (Do) 228 fleet.

The Do-228 fleet performs a variety of roles, including air transporting men and material to the remotest parts of the country and even braving the original equipment manufacturer’s reservations uses an upgraded version for high altitude operations, para dropping / para jumping.

But while the scouting for an industrial partner has not fructified, NAL has continued with its major weight optimisation exercise on the Rs. 183 crore Saras programme.

One of the biggest problems faced by the aircraft has been its excess weight, a fact that was obvious when prototype one (PT1) made its maiden flight in May 2004, and again when prototype two (PT2) made its inaugural flight last April.

In a bid to bring down the aircraft’s structural weight by 500 kg, NAL is going in for composites empennages (horizontal and vertical tail), and a composite wing. In addition there will also be weight optimisation in the metal fuselage with a reduction of six or seven of the 33 bulkheads in the fuselage. Machined parts in the fuselage are also being replaced by sheet metal parts.

The weight reduction will allow carrying of greater payloads, more fuel or a combination of both.

Interestingly NAL is putting in place the weight optimisation exercise straightaway on a production standard aircraft, instead of first demonstrating it on a technical demonstrator or, as originally conceived, after batch production.

The Saras programme’s third prototype will now be called the Production Standard Aircraft (PSA), and this will be frozen as the final production standard. While the horizontal tail and vertical tail will be ready by next March, the wing should be ready by June. The PSA aircraft is expected to fly in October 2008, with certification by December 2009.

NAL is also using the Vacuum Enhanced Resin Infusion Technology (VERITY) for the construction of the composite wing.

Developed by NAL’s Advanced Composite Division, VERITY requires only minimum curing and low temperatures. NAL has also entered into joint ventures with America’s Honeywell for the development of the Saras’ auto pilot, and with Israel’s Astronatika for the Engine Instrument and Crew Alert System (EICAS). EICAS will allow for the digitalisation of the Saras’ electro mechanical instruments.

While NAL will attempt to secure airworthiness certification for the Saras in India, Mahendra Plexion Technologies, which is NAL’s development partner for the programme, will build two prototypes and also try for the airplane’s international certification, initially in Australia, and then the United States.

According to Mr. Chidananda the Saras will meet the IAF’s Air Staff Requirements for a light transport aircraft once it sheds around 500-600 kg.

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