The Hindu Business Line : Saras makes its maiden flight; production version likely next year

MAIDEN FLIGHT: The second prototype of Saras, the 14-seater light transport aircraft under development, had its first flight on Wednesday in Bangalore. Conceived in the 1980s and sanctioned in 1999, Saras is meant to enter the market as air taxi, air ambulance, cargo or for surveillance.

Bangalore April 18 The second prototype (PT2) of Saras, the 14-seater light transport aircraft under development, had its first flight on Wednesday, National Aerospace Labs here said.

NAL expects to ready the next version in 2008 to production standards. It is targeting its flight certification by 2009-end, its Director, Dr A.R. Upadhya, told Business Line.

Though PT2 has not addressed the critical issue of weight, it has been structurally improved with a redesigned and larger propeller. Its flight data would be valid. It now weighs nearly a tonne more than the desired six tonnes.

The third version would aim to cut the weight by 500 kg using advanced materials and less fuel.

PT2, fitted with a new Pratt & Whitney enginewas 35 per cent more powerful than the first prototype, he said.

"Today we had a much higher rate of climb. With the modifications we have corrected some of the snags" reported about PT1, though it is still the old design version, Dr Upadhya said.

PT2 comes almost three years after PT1 - which has completed 106 flights since August 2004. It started low-speed taxi trials in late March this year.

The prototypes will have to log 500 flights to be certified air-worthy.

The nearly Rs 160-crore Saras was conceived in the 1980s and sanctioned in 1999 and is meant to enter the market as air taxi, air ambulance, cargo or for surveillance.