‘Make-in-India’ Dornier plane’s first commercial flight today: 5 points

Alliance Air’s made-in-India Dornier 228 aircraft took off on Tuesday for its first commercial flight on Dibrugarh-Pasighat route. This is India’s first commercial airline to fly Indian-made aircraft for civil operations, according to the the ministry of civil aviation. 

An inauguration ceremony will be held of the first flying training organization for the aircraft at Assam’s Lilabari. Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will be present during the inauguration.  Along with them, secretary of the ministry of civil aviation Rajiv Bansal, joint secretaries from the ministry of civil aviation Usha Padhee and Amber Dubey, and other dignitaries from the state governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and authorities from Alliance Air will be present.

Here are 5 things to know about the Dornier aircraft: 

1. Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop short take-off and landing utility aircraft, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for Indian Coast Guard, Indian Air Force and the Indian navy.
2. Alliance Air had signed an agreement with the government-owned HAL in February to lease two 17-seater Dornier 228 aircraft. The airline received its first Dornier 228 plane on April 7.
3. The aircraft’s first flight is between Dibrugarh in Assam and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. The flight is set to boost connectivity in the north-eastern states.
4. The made-in-India aircraft can accommodate two crew members, and 17 passengers. It has a wingspan of 16.97 m, overall length of 16.56 m, and overall height of 4.86 m. The aircraft can be used for multiple purposes including aerial survey, pollution prevention, search and rescue, commuter transport, transporting troops, evacuation of casualties, cargo, logistics support, among others. 
5. According to the HAL, Dornier 228 is a “highly versatile multi-purpose light transport aircraft, noting that the aircraft has been development to meet requirements like that of utility and commuter transport, third level services and air-taxi operations, coast guard duties and maritime surveillance.”