India has achieved a significant milestone. The first indigenously-made aircraft has completed its maiden voyage. The first ‘made in India’ C295 military plane successfully lifted off and landed at a runway in Vadodara, Gujarat. This flight is a huge move for Indian aviation as it sets a new precedent. Here are all of the other important details that you would need to know about this particular historic milestone that India has achieved in the aviation industry.
First ‘Made In India’ C295 Plane Completes Maiden Flight
The aircraft was a result of a collaborative effort between Airbus Defence and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). The assembly of the aircraft occurred at the Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Vadodara, Gujarat.
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The FAL was first inaugurated by PM Modi and the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez. This successful first flight will now officially kick off the post-production testing that is required to clear the delivery of the first locally built unit to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
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Technical Specifications And Other Details
In September 2021, India signed an INR 21,935 crore deal with Spain for a total of 56 aircraft. Of these, only 16 are slated to be received in a fly-away condition. The others are said to be assembled indigenously.
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One of the many special features of the C295 military plane is the Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capability. This will let the aircraft take off and land even in areas that are significantly smaller than traditional airports.
The payload capacity of the plane is also quite sizable. It can support up to 24 medical stretchers, 70 standard troops, or 48 combat-ready troops. It is primarily designed for the transport of troops, cargo, and rapid medical evacuations and other special operations.
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Summing Up
This particular historic milestone marks a huge leap for Indian aviation. With this success, we are one step closer to successfully transitioning the aging fleet to a fully indigenous, home-grown C295 fleet. It has further concretized India’s role as a global aerospace manufacturing hub instead of being viewed simply as one of the top importers.
