NAL to finalise production partner for trainer aircraft by November

The National Aerospace Laboratories expects to finalise the production partner for its two-seater trainer aircraft HANSA-New Generation, in a month, a top NAL official said. A market study done by Bengaluru-based NAL has shown there is a potential demand for about 400-500 such aircraft in India in the next 5-10 years, Program Director of Civil Aircrafts at NAL, C M Anand, told PTI.

The NAL-developed HANSA-NG features a state-of-the-art-glass cockpit, a Rotax-912iSc sport engine and a steerable nose wheel.

Manufactured using advanced processes, the aircraft is Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) compliant, has superior aerodynamic features and handling qualities, enhanced range and endurance, its officials said.


Anand said the NAL, a constituent of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), is presently in the process of finalising the production partner for manufacturing the aircraft.

Discussions are going on with the identified potential partners about the production capabilities and other parameters. In another month, a decision will be made and the partner will be finalised, he said.

"Production companies also have a lot of questions and queries which are being addressed. For the last six months, we have been on the job. More or less things are done. Therefore, we are confident. In another month, we will be finalising the partner. We are planning to announce the partner in 'Wings India-2024' event (to be held in Hyderabad in January) which is apt for the occasion," he said.

"Currently, we are manufacturing our second aircraft of the HANSA new generation which will be ready by January and we are planning to fly the new aircraft at the 'Wings India 2024' event," he added.

Maintaining that there is a good requirement in India for pilot training and that not many aircraft are available today for this purpose, since all of them are being imported, the NAL official said HANSA-NG can be used for pilot training.

"Based on our survey, around 400-500 aircraft are required in the next 5-10 years and that it can be used for training pilots. It can also be used for joyrides and tourism. In fact, a lot of flying clubs have already shown keen interest," he said.

In western countries, these kinds of aircraft (two seater) are used for joy rides and hobby flying. However, it is not so popular in India, but this concept is slowly getting traction, according to an NAL official.

Once the production partner is finalised, with its help, NAL targets to make around 120 such aircraft and once we start producing, there will be lot more demand, he said.

"We will support the production partner in the transfer of technology. The plan is that one aircraft will be made at NAL along with the production partner, and one aircraft will be built on their premises with our hand holding," he added.

"We have received 114 letters of intent requests which can potentially be converted into a purchase order," Anand said.

NAL said it has invested Rs 20 crore in the HANSA-NG project, and the aircraft can be developed within Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore.

NAL rolled out the HANSA-NG in March 2021 and it completed its maiden flight in September same year, followed by the sea level trials at Puducherry last year.

It has also successfully completed in-flight engine relight tests at the aeronautical test range at Challakere in Karnataka's Chitradurga district.