NAL Hansa-NG trainer aircraft: India’s state owned National Aerospace Laboratory rolled out a new generation two-seater aircraft called ‘HANSA-NG’ in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The two-seater trainer aircraft, developed by NAL-CSIR, is completely made of composite material, a first for the country.
“The aircraft underwent extensive flight testing and was certified by DGCA under the JAR-VLA category in the year 2000,” NAL said in a statement.
CSIR-NAL manufactured and delivered 11 aircraft to flying clubs across India through DGCA during the year 2000 to 2007. The total flying hours logged by these aircraft is about 4,000 hrs.
NAL’s HANSA-NG trainer aircraft
By 2016, India became one of the largest civil aviation markets with a huge demand for trained pilots. Many flying clubs started looking for cost-effective trainer aircraft, which could meet the statutory requirements of commercial pilot licensing.
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“Realizing this potential, CSIR-NAL decided to revitalize HANSA to cater to the demand for a trainer aircraft. Interactions with flying clubs and regulatory authorities led to the specifications of HANSA – New Generation (NG),” NAL said in the statement.
With a growing need for a Swadeshi trainer aircraft, the Government sanctioned the HANSA –NG project towards the end of 2018. CSIR-NAL retro-modified HANSA-3 aircraft with a glass cockpit got it certified by DGCA.
The aircraft was demonstrated at Aero-India 2019. CSIR-NAL identified Mesco Aerospace Ltd. as the production partner and jointly started the design and development of HANSA-NG with lower cost and superior performance as compared to contemporary aircraft of a similar class.
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HANSA-NG is equipped with IFR-compliant avionics with smart multi-functional displays, a glass cockpit, and a bubble canopy design. The selection of a highly efficient digitally controlled Rotax 912 ISC engine with superior performance increased the range and endurance.
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DGCA approves Hansa-NG design
Design and Production Organization Approvals were obtained from DGCA and manufacturing of HANSA-NG was initiated in September 2020.
The NAL said it was able to manufacture various components of the Hansa-NG aircraft in just four months by using the innovative JIPREG composite techniques.
Subsequently, by using the latest semi-jigless technology, integration and equipping of the aircraft was completed in a record time of a mere two weeks, it said.
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HANSA-NG was displayed in Wings India 2020 and Aero India 2021. Attracted by its potential capabilities, several flying clubs gave Letters of Intent for about 30 aircraft on the spot.
In addition to this, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) proposed to sign an MoU with CSIR-NAL as a launch customer of HANSA-NG for pilot training.
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