AAI okays allotment of 50 acres to TASL at Vadodara Airport: Gen VK Singh

New Delhi: In order to promote the government's initiative of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" for the manufacturing of C-295 Military Transport Aircraft by Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL) (in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space, a Final Assembly Line and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility), the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has approved the allotment of land measuring 50 acres to TASL for setting up Final Assembly Line and MRO facility at Vadodara Airport, said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Gen (Retd) VK Singh in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The government has been promoting and facilitating the manufacturing of aircraft, including regional transport aircraft, and associated equipment by public and private enterprises in India. Hindustan -228 (Upgraded) civil aircraft developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is a 19-seater turboprop aircraft suitable for regional connectivity.

HAL has also entered into MoU with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) for the design, development and certification of 19-seat Light Transport Aircraft – SARAS MKII and subsequent production, marketing and lifestyle maintenance of the aircraft, he added.

The extant policy enables domestic manufacturing of aircraft. The government has been promoting and facilitating the manufacturing of aircraft, including a Regional Transport Aircraft, and associated equipment by public and private enterprises in India. Hindustan -228 (Upgraded) civil aircraft developed by HAL is a 19-seater turbo prop passenger aircraft suitable for regional connectivity. HAL has also entered into MoU with CSIR – NAL for the design, development and certification of 19-seat Light Transport Aircraft – SARAS MKII and subsequent production, marketing and lifestyle maintenance of the aircraft.

National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 seeks to promote the growth of the Indian aviation sector in a significant manner. The aim is to develop an entire ecosystem for the harmonized growth of various aviation subsectors i.e. airlines, airports, cargo, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, General Aviation, Aerospace Manufacturing, Skill Development etc, said Singh.

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