India's ambitious civil aviation program (RTA-70 ) is aimed at building planes for carrying 70-90 passengers on short haul flights, and rival similar aircrafts from ATR, which currently dominates the country's skies.
Officials at NAL, the premier agency spearheading the project, confirmed that alliances are being worked out. "Negotiations are on with various private players like TCS, Infosys, Wipro to provide expertise in software, hardware and product development," a senior NAL official said on conditions of anonymity. The design and development of the prototype is estimated to cost about Rs. 5,000 crore and is expected to be ready by 2015-16 for flight trials.
Of the 500 planes, 200 will be sold to Indian defence, 200 to civil aviation companies and 100 units are to be exported. The project committee will explore the need to go in for a public-private partnership (PPP) at the beginning, so as to involve the Indian aerospace industry, which will be responsible for production at a later stage and marketing and servicing subsequently, officials added.
At the peak of the project, about 500 people from state-run agencies and around 2,000 people from the industry will be involved.
According to Roddam Narasimha, one of India's top aerospace scientists and a member of the high-powered committee for the country's national civil aircraft development project, RTA-70 is just a step in building a successful and globally competitive civil aviation program. "Public-private partnership is part of our vision for this project. We never had a civil aeronautical aircraft programme, nor have we made serious attempts," Narasimha said. "On the other hand, China is very far ahead of us. They are challenging Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 and may actually move ahead of them," he added.
China's answer to Boeing and Airbus is the Comac C919 aircraft. Its introduction was low-key , a move consistent with how Chinese firms prefer to operate overseas.
The aircraft designed and built entirely in China, will compete directly against industry leaders Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 after completing flight trials in four years. It should be available commercially by 2016.
"You will be surprised to know that 10 years ago, Indian Aeronautics was ahead of China. We had developed some of the key technologies on our own such as Carbon Fibre Wings and Flight Control System. India should take an initiative for a Civil Aeronautics Flight Programme. This project is a step in that direction," said Narasimha.
As trained people in the aerospace area are limited, the committee will rope in design experts from state-run organisations such as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to share some of the project workload. The committee is headed by former chairman of ISRO, G Madhavan Nair.
The project committee has decided to form nine sub-committees to prepare reports on various parameters such as choice of engine, composite materials, avionics, landing gear, control systems, short haul runways, setting up of design bureau, hiring people, engaging the industry and infrastructure required for operating the regional transport aircraft service.
"The major projects have got delayed, not because we lack capabilities, but due to indecisiveness at the policy level. We want to develop an aircraft that serves not only India, but the world," said Narasimha.
The committee hopes the prototype will be rolled out in the next 5-6 years for flight testing and certification for initial operational clearance. By then, it plans to have production facility in place with the industry.
Besides Nair, CSIR director-general Samir K Brahmchari, ISRO chairman K Radhakrish
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