<p><br />The IAF is in the process of placing orders for acquiring 15 aircraft developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore, official sources said.</p>.<p>The IAF order is considered to be a shot in the arm for NAL. A prototype of the 14-seater aircraft had crashed during a test flight in March, killing three persons onboard.</p>.<p>"The IAF has already finalised that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be manufacturing the aircraft and the firm order will be placed with the NAL by year-end," a source said.</p>.<p>This transport aircraft has suffered delays for a decade due to design flaws, an under-powered engine, excess take-off weight and non-availability of components following the 1998 sanctions imposed by the US.</p>.<p>However, when contacted, NAL Director A R Upadhya said that the new aircraft will have better engines that pack more power and engineers have also succeeded in reducing the total weight of the aircraft by 500 kg.</p>.<p>The earlier prototypes were heavier by at least 500 kg, thus leading to operational difficulties.</p>.<p>Upadhya said that a Commission of Inquiry has been investigating into the crash of the Saras prototype and the report is expected in another three weeks. Upadhya said the NAL Saras is a multi-role aircraft, ideal for executive transport, light package carrier, remote sensing and aerial research service, coast guard, border patrolling, air ambulance and other community services. </p>.<p>Saras is equipped with two rear-mounted turbo-prop Pratt and Whitney engines in a pusher propeller configuration and is designed to take off from and land on short, semi-prepared runways.</p>.<p>It is designed to carry between eight and 14 passengers and can be extended to an 19-passenger variant in multiple modes of operation.</p>.<p>The two prototypes of Saras, named after the Indian crane, have flown at least 100 hours since its maiden flight in May 2004 till the crash of prototype-II in March.</p>.<p>Engineers at NAL are now building another prototype which is expected to be flight tested next year. NAL expected the aircraft to be certified by 2010.</p>.<p>Saras is only the second plane after Hansa, a two-seater trainer aircraft, that is being developed indigenously.</p>.<p>NAL is also working on designing a 70-seat passenger aircraft called the RTA-70 for regional transport. </p>
<p><br />The IAF is in the process of placing orders for acquiring 15 aircraft developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore, official sources said.</p>.<p>The IAF order is considered to be a shot in the arm for NAL. A prototype of the 14-seater aircraft had crashed during a test flight in March, killing three persons onboard.</p>.<p>"The IAF has already finalised that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be manufacturing the aircraft and the firm order will be placed with the NAL by year-end," a source said.</p>.<p>This transport aircraft has suffered delays for a decade due to design flaws, an under-powered engine, excess take-off weight and non-availability of components following the 1998 sanctions imposed by the US.</p>.<p>However, when contacted, NAL Director A R Upadhya said that the new aircraft will have better engines that pack more power and engineers have also succeeded in reducing the total weight of the aircraft by 500 kg.</p>.<p>The earlier prototypes were heavier by at least 500 kg, thus leading to operational difficulties.</p>.<p>Upadhya said that a Commission of Inquiry has been investigating into the crash of the Saras prototype and the report is expected in another three weeks. Upadhya said the NAL Saras is a multi-role aircraft, ideal for executive transport, light package carrier, remote sensing and aerial research service, coast guard, border patrolling, air ambulance and other community services. </p>.<p>Saras is equipped with two rear-mounted turbo-prop Pratt and Whitney engines in a pusher propeller configuration and is designed to take off from and land on short, semi-prepared runways.</p>.<p>It is designed to carry between eight and 14 passengers and can be extended to an 19-passenger variant in multiple modes of operation.</p>.<p>The two prototypes of Saras, named after the Indian crane, have flown at least 100 hours since its maiden flight in May 2004 till the crash of prototype-II in March.</p>.<p>Engineers at NAL are now building another prototype which is expected to be flight tested next year. NAL expected the aircraft to be certified by 2010.</p>.<p>Saras is only the second plane after Hansa, a two-seater trainer aircraft, that is being developed indigenously.</p>.<p>NAL is also working on designing a 70-seat passenger aircraft called the RTA-70 for regional transport. </p>