Explained | First commercial flight of the made-in-India Dornier-228

The 17-seater Dornier-228 can carry out day and night operations and take off from semi-prepared runways. 

April 12 has gone down in the annals of the country’s civil aviation industry with a made-in-India aircraft, the Dornier-228, taking to the skies on its maiden commercial flight to Arunachal Pradesh from Assam. With Tuesday’s flight, Alliance Air has become India’s first commercial airline to fly the Indian-made aircraft for civil operations.

Dornier-228 aircraft has been used by the armed forces till now. 

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia took to Twitter to announce the launch of the first-ever commercial services by the Dornier aircraft and termed it as a historic day for the northeast and India. “This will connect the airstrips of Arunachal Pradesh with Assam, and soon with other regions. Indeed, a new chapter in India’s “Look East” policy!” the minister said.

Mr. Scindia also tweeted a short video of the aircraft taking off from Dibrugarh in Assam.

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) last week handed over the first multi-purpose Do-228 aircraft to Alliance Air, months after the Centre-run airlines entered into an agreement with HAL under the UDAN scheme to boost connectivity in the northeast. 

In September 2021, HAL signed a lease agreement with Alliance Air Aviation Limited for the supply of two civil Do-228 aircraft for regional operations in Arunachal Pradesh. The agreement was signed in Bengaluru. Speaking on the occasion, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said it was a big day for the State. Given the geographical challenges, the connectivity will now be easier, he said .Alliance Air received its first Dornier-228 on April 7.

Confirming the delivery of the first ‘made in India’ Do-228, Alliance Air wrote in a tweet, “The light transport aircraft will facilitate regional connectivity in northeastern states and better connectivity.”