HAL/NAL Regional Transport Aircraft

RTA-70
Role Regional airliner
Manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
Designer National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL)
Status Cancelled[1]

The HAL/NAL Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA) is a project of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL). It is also known as the Indian Regional Jet (IRJ). This aircraft is claimed to be a turboprop or a jet with a capacity of 70-100 passengers. The basic version will have 80-90 seats (RTA-70).[2]

Development

In 2007 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) are jointly design and develop a 70-seater civil regional aircraft. NAL had held discussions with Pratt and Whitney (Canada) and General Electric (U.S.) for an engine. The NAL-designed RTA-70 is meant to ply short-haul routes and compete with planes of French-Italian aircraft maker Avions de Transport Régional (ATR), a leading exporter of turbo-prop aircraft to the Indian sub-continent.[3]

In 2008, the Indian government through the Ministries of Defence and Civil Aviation have approved the plan and have asked HAL to prepare a roadmap for the project. It will not be an indigenous venture as the government is planning to enter into a memorandum of understanding with major names in the industry like Embraer, Bombardier Aerospace[4] or United Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft was expected to fly in six to seven years.

In 2010 at the India Aviation exhibition held in Hyderabad, a proposed cabin was on display and more details on the specifications of the aircraft have been revealed.

On 23 December 2010, it was announced that the Indian government had asked NAL to consider the use of turbofan engines on the RTA-70.[2] According to an NAL official, the use of a jet engine was seen as "a stepping stone to the high end" by the government.[2]

Design

The aircraft is claimed to offer 25% lower acquisition costs, 25% lower operating costs and 50% lower maintenance costs than existing turboprop regional aircraft.[5]

The 70-seat aircraft will have a range of 1,350 nm (2,500 km), and require a take-off field length and landing field length of 900m (2,950 ft). The aircraft would have a length of 28.6m and a wing-span of 29.4m. The aircraft would have a service ceiling of 30,000 ft, a cruising speed of 300kt, and the noise level would meet Stage 4 criteria.

The cabin, which would be able to seat four abreast, would have a width of 3.01m and height of 3.35m. The cargo hold would have a volume of 25m³ (880 ft³).

NAL is considering a composite airframe. The aircraft will be powered by two "next-generation turboprop engine". It would have an indigenous fly-by-wire control system, open distributed modular avionics, automatic dependence surveillance - broadcast navigation capabilities, and advanced displays.[6]

See also

Related development

References

  1. ↑ "HAL abandons Regional Transport Aircraft project". The Tribune (India). The Tribune (India). 2015-12-25. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "India's regional aircraft could be a jet". Flightglobal.com. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  3. ↑ John Pike. "RTA-70 Regional Transport Aircraft". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  4. ↑ "Bombardier refuse de commenter le plan indien". Argent.canoe.ca. 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  5. ↑ "Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "India unveils details of indigenous 70-seat turboprop". Flightglobal. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
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