SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s Ministry of Aviation is exploring the potential to convert military aircraft designs for use in the civilian aviation sector. This move could boost domestic aircraft production and contribute to the expansion of regional air travel under the UDAN scheme.
Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu hinted at this initiative, suggesting that a civilian variant of the C-295M transport aircraft might be developed. Notably, Tata-Airbus is set to manufacture the C-295M for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Gujarat.
Experts at idrw.org speculate that a civilian version of the C-295M could seat 48-50 passengers configured in a two-by-two layout. This configuration would be ideal for short-haul routes targeted by the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme.
Launched in 2016, the UDAN scheme aims to provide affordable air travel on regional routes. It incentivizes airlines to participate by offering concessions, financial support, and capped airfares subsidized by the government. By increasing connectivity in underserved areas, UDAN aims to boost regional development.
idrw.org has been told that the C-295 Civilian variant will be superior to the ATR 42 which is a 48-seat regional airliner produced by Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR.
Adapting a military aircraft for civilian use necessitates substantial modifications to ensure passenger comfort and safety. Obtaining airworthiness certifications for the civilian variant can be a lengthy and complex process that might be carried out by either HAL or TATA while a thorough assessment of market demand for such an aircraft in India’s regional routes is crucial to determine development of Civilian variant.
NOTE : Article cannot be reproduced without written permission of idrw.org in any form even for YouTube Videos to avoid Copy right strikes. Websites doing illegal reproductions will get DMCA and Legal Notices.