Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) made-in-India Dornier 228 is being rechristened as Hindustan 228 and could soon be flying in foreign skies also with that name as questions for the same have come from buyers from Sri Lanka and the Philippines, the aerospace behemoth’s CMD, R Madhavan, told TOI on Tuesday.
“We have started the process of getting European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for our 8-seater LUH. Four prototypes of this helicopter are already flying for user evaluation and we are expecting an order from the defence side soon. Once EASA certification comes after a lengthy process, this chopper will be made in India for civil use not just in India but abroad too,” Madhavan said.
HAL is getting questions from operators in India and abroad for the Dornier-nee-Hindustan 228. “Alliance Air will start using two of these planes in Arunachal. We are getting queries from Sri Lanka and the Philippines from commercial operators. Mauritius is looking at it for its police. This 19-seater aircraft can be reconfigured to have a lav by removing three seats if the operator wants,” Madhavan said.
