Head-count boost at design bureau of ‘desi’ aircraft project

This team has already undertaken preliminary design of the aircraft and prepared the project report.

G Madhavan Nair,who chairs the High Powered Committee (HPC) formed by NAL (a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research lab) to oversee the project,said a selection process is on to hire 100 more engineers,both freshers and experienced hands with domain knowledge.

“Already,response is good,” Nair,a former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation,told PTI.

He said the Planning Commission recently reviewed the project and “they have given a positive report on that” and added that a formal Cabinet approval to the Rs 7,555 crore programme is expected in a couple of months.

The feasibility study conducted by HPC concluded that there is a market potential for 70-to-100 seat regional transport aircraft in India. The baseline design is a 90-seat twin turbofan engine powered aircraft.

“Rs 4,355 crore is what the Government will have to spend and the balance Rs 3,200 crore which we require for the production phase…we are expecting it to come from joint venture company…,” Nair said.

The government recently virtually gave a green signal to the project,with Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh saying: “I am sure that the Government will have no hesitation to provide the Rs 4,000 crore required for the design and development of this aircraft”.

Nair said private industry,with which the manufacture of this aircraft is proposed to be done,is showing interest,as also global engine makers but stressed that only after the formal Government approval that selection of partners would take place.

As far the engine is concerned,he noted that one has to go for global partnership. In addition,“some of the items where we don’t have in-house capacity,we will have to go outside (procure from foreign sources). We will also encourage Indian industries to invest and come for the sub-systems deliveries and things like that”.

“So,that approach will be taken so that the maximum amount of work will be done by the industries and the core team (at NAL),” he added.

Nair said HPC’s target is to conclude detailed engineering aspects of the aircraft,which is expected to give a major boost to the country’s civil aviation industry,before the middle of next year.