Itanagar, April 12: A new chapter has been written on Tuesday when the first-ever Made-in-India commercial aircraft, Civil Dornier Aircraft begin its operations from Dibrugarh in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.
Alliance Air operated the first Made in India Dornier 228 passenger aircraft which was flagged off by Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the occasion of Dornier 228’s first flight and the flying training organization’s opening.
Overjoyed and proud to embark on the 17 seater Made-in-India Dornier 228 aircraft – in its first ever maiden service to Arunachal Pradesh! Jai ho! @KirenRijiju pic.twitter.com/nEuUykrvAC
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) April 12, 2022
The 17-seater non-pressurized Dornier 228 with an AC cabin capable of day and night operations. The light transport aircraft will facilitate regional connectivity in northeastern states and better connectivity.
The Centre-run Alliance Air had in February signed an agreement with the government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to lease two 17-seater Dornier 228 aircraft. The airline received its first Dornier 228 plane on April 7.
Alliance Air will take off into the skies of Arunachal Pradesh with its #MadeInIndia fleet – HAL Dornier 228, working towards a mission to connect the North-Eastern Region of India to enhance commerce and economic growth. pic.twitter.com/4IYmNQwr54
— Alliance Air (@allianceair) April 9, 2022
To date, Dornier 228 planes are used by the armed forces only. Also in a related development, there will also be the inauguration of the First FTO (Flying Training Organization) for North Eastern Region at Lilabari, Assam.
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The aircraft will be used to give air connectivity to remote places of eastern Arunachal Pradesh including some areas close to the China and Myanmar borders.
Alliance Air will initially be flying from Dibrugarh to Pasighat. And in the next 15 to 20 days, it will fly to Tezu and then to Ziro, both towns in Arunachal Pradesh. All of this will happen in the first phase.
In the second phase, it will connect Vijaynagar, Mechuka, and other places that will be linked.
In 1981, HAL acquired the production license for the aircraft from the manufacturers and assembled 125 of them at its Kanpur facility for both civilian and military purposes.
Since 2009, Swiss aerospace engineering and defense company RUAG has been manufacturing the upgraded Do-228 New Generation (NG), with the fuselage, wings, and tail being sourced from HAL.
