HAL has bagged a major Defence contract to supply 14 Do-228 aircraft produced by HAL to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

“Apart from these aircraft, the contract — valued at around ₹1,090 crore — includes six reserve engines, one flight simulator and associated equipment,” said T Suvarna Raju, Chairman, HAL. This reflects the trust of the Defence customers in HAL and we remain committed to supporting the country’s Defence services for all their needs,” he added.

Other customers

HAL Do-228 aircraft will be manufactured by the Transport Aircraft Division at Kanpur.

The Division has expertise in manufacturing transport and trainer aircraft and has, till date, manufactured 125 HAL Do-228 aircraft both for Defence use and other customers.

The Do-228 aircraft have been exported to Seychelles and Mauritius. Last year, one Dornier was also supplied to Bangalore-based Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) to be used as flying test-bed (FTB) for evaluation of the performance of various radars being developed by the centre, said Raju.

HAL’s Do-228 is a highly reliable, multi-purpose, fuel-efficient, rugged but light-weight twin turboprop aircraft with a retractable, tricycle landing gear. The cockpit is designed to accommodate two crew members and is fitted with duplicate controls. The cabin can accommodate 19 passengers in the commuter configuration.

Feautures of the Dornier

The general features are a maximum take-off weight of 6,400 kg, maximum payload of 1,903 kg and fuel capacity of 2,850 litres (2,250 kg). The aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 428 mm/hr, service ceiling of 4,299 metres, and two Garrett TPE 331-5-252D engines, each driving a four-bladed, reversible pitch propeller.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW