Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has carried out ground run and low speed taxi trials for the Hindustan-228 aircraft for Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) type certification. The event was part of the 75th anniversary of India's Independence Day celebrations at HAL's Kanpur facility in Uttar Pradesh.

“This is a major milestone for the first fixed wing 'Made in India' civil aircraft. It is a step towards strengthening regional air connectivity,” says Sajal Prakash, CEO of HAL's accessories complex.

Indranil Chakraborty, director, DGCA says the type certification will also enable HAL to get the international certification for the aircraft. The aircraft complies with the latest FAR 23 certification requirements.

The Hindustan-228 is a 19-seat multirole utility aircraft built for applications such as VIP transport, passenger transport, air ambulance, flight inspection roles and cloud seeding.

HAL's Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur has been in the business of transport and trainer aircraft for defence customers. The division has ventured into the manufacturing of Hindustan-228 aircraft to support the Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN) of the Government of India. This aircraft could be utilised successfully by civil operators and state governments for their intra and inter-state connectivity with seamless support towards training, maintenance and logistics.