Page 233 - Technology Roadmap Transportation

TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP: TRANSPORTATION

5.4 NATIONAL CIVIL AIRCRAFT (NCA)

CHALLENGES Development of a Civil Transport Aircraft in the Regional Jet Category for regional
& TARGETS connectivity in tier II and tier III cities with:
• Equipped with latest technologies and materials including composite airframe,
structural health monitoring, fly by wire, electrical systems, PBN, ADS-B,
Turboprop and Turbo fan variants, Multiple seating configuration (below100 seats)
• Capable of all-weather operations, best cabin comfort, Low emissions and
compliant with latest noise standard
• Low cost of acquisition, operation and maintenance

Global Experience/Challenges
The experience of the other developing countries like Brazil and China suggests
that such capabilities require decade’s hard work in migrating from component
manufacturing to aero-structures, then manufacturing small planes, licensed
production for other companies before making it big.
China even with its resources, manufacturing capabilities, faster decision making
is yet to get success on its domestic aircraft programme in about 30 years. This is a
clear indication of the size of challenge involved and therefore requires unrelenting
efforts and strategy in order to be successful.

Critical Gaps/Risks
• Lack of experience in execution of such projects, marketing strategies, customer
support, training, maintenance and lifecycle upgrades.
• Lack of reliable technologies like propulsion system, avionics and flight controls.

KEY Government, Indian Industry, Global aerospace majors, Academic Institutions.
STAKEHOLDER(S)

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
• The project must be instituted as an independent entity under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, drawing expertise from
across the aerospace spectrum in the country.
• The project must be executed in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode with carefully selected consortium of
private sector partners and preferably a global OEM having experience in aircraft manufacturing, running such
large and complex project, marketing and customer support.

• The project entity should have independent subsidiaries for different areas of aircraft manufacturing like airframe,
propulsion, avionics and flight controls to be set up as PPP with NAL, HAL and BEL as the key public sector
partners and global OEM as a partner.
• The decision on “make or buy” on critical technologies must be based on the assessment of available technology in
the country, possibility of joint development with global OEMs, technology development cost and time estimates.The
areas like propulsion system, avionics and flight controls in which reliable technology is not available and cannot be
developed within a timeframe and cost should be bought from outside.
• The project must have an export orientation right at the conceptual stage and be designed to meet or better the
contemporary global specifications in terms of efficiency, performance and life cycle costs to be successful in the
market.
• The project must be aggressively marketed and should have launch customers to support the development and
reduce uncertainties.
• The private sector industry partners must adopt a consortium model to involve SME vendors already available in the
country; vendor development for different components can be taken up from established automotive sector.
• Government should fund the development costs and could be one of the launch customers; low cost funding must
be made available for the project.
• Public infrastructure in terms of R&D labs, equipment, testing facilities, and other infrastructure must be shared at
a nominal cost to keep the cost of project down.
• Joint development with some other country can also be considered to de-risk the project.

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