HAL has carried out ground run and low speed taxi trials of the Hindustan-228 aircraft, as part of the 75th Anniversary of India's Independence Day celebrations at HAL's Kanpur facility.

“This is a major milestone for the first fixed wing Made-in-India civil aircraft in India. It is a step forward towards strengthening regional air connectivity”, says Mr Sajal Prakash, CEO of HAL's Accessories Complex. Indranil Chakraborty, Director, DGCA reports that future type certification will enable HAL to gain international certifications for the aircraft, as it complies with the latest FAR 23 requirements.

HAL's Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur has been in the business of transport and trainer aircraft for defence customers. The Division has ventured into the manufacturing of Hindustan-228 aircraft to support the Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN) of the Government of India.

The Hindustan-228 is a 19-seat multirole utility aircraft built for various applications such as VIP transport, passenger transport, air ambulance, flight inspection roles, cloud seeding, and recreational activities like parachute jumping, aerial surveillance, photography and cargo applications.

A five blade propeller, as seen on the RUAG Dornier 228NG aircraft, is used on the HAL aircraft for reduction in noise levels, faster engine start, less lubrication and better damping characteristics. RUAG flew its own Dornier-228NG in 2009 with HAL supplied fuselage, wings and tail.