India to make 2-seater passenger aircraft

State-run National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has tied up with Delhi-based Mesco Aerospace to develop two-seater Hansa-NG aircraft, the company said on Friday.

"The agreement between the companies to design, develop, produce and market the Hansa-Next Generation (NG) aircraft will ease the availability of indigenous aircraft for pilot training," city-based NAL Director Jitendra J. Jadhav said in a statement here.

The aircraft is expected to be ready by 2019 for its first flight and will be certified by the regulatory authority Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) by March 2020.

Once certified, Delhi-based Mesco will undertake production of Hansa, the Indian name of the bird swan, Jadhav said.

"Mesco will set up a service centre for the aircraft and market it in India and abroad," the statement added.

The Hansa-NG can also be used for bird reconnaissance at airfields, cadet training, coastal surveillance and hobby flying.

NAL targets to sell the aircraft at a cost of Rs 80 lakh for the basic version and Rs 100 lakh for a fully loaded version.

As per market reports, NAL estimates the country's current need at 70-80 two-seater aircraft.

--IANS

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