Centre for Civil Aircraft Design & Development
SARAS PT1 N makes its maiden flight New Delhi, 24 January 2018. SARAS PT1 N (14 seater) designed and developed by CSIR-NAL, a frontline aerospace research laboratory, has successfully made its maiden flight on 24.01.2018. The flight was commanded by Wg Cdr U P Singh, Gp Capt R V Panicker and Gp Capt K P Bhat from IAF-Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). The aircraft took off at about 11 AM from HAL airport and flew for about 40 minutes at the maximum height of 8500 ft at the speed of 145 knots. The chase aircraft (KIRAN) was piloted by Gp Capt Badrish and telemetry was commanded by Gp Capt Naraynen, Wg Cdr Pandey and Wg Cdr R Sridhar (Retd). All the system parameters are found normal. It was a text book flight. The primary objective is to evaluate the system performance in about 20 flights and the data collected from this shall be used to freeze the design of production version aircraft. The production version aircraft will be of 19 seat capacity and will undergo civil / military certification. The flight was monitored by Shri Jitendra J Jadhav, Director, CSIR-NAL, Air Marshal Upkarjit Singh, Director, IAF-PMT & Chairman, FRRB, Shri Venkatesh - Director-HAL, Air Vice Marshal Sandeep Singh, Commandant, ASTE, Shri P Jayapal, Chief Executive CEMILAC and Shri V L Raja, ADG-AQA. Congratulations TEAM SARAS, Centre for Civil Aircraft Design & Development, CSIR-NAL.
|
The Centre for Civil Aircraft Design & Development (C-CADD) is the nodal point of CSIR-NAL, with a mandate to play a lead role in the design and development of small and medium sized civil aircraft, optimally utilizing the available resources. It was set up in the year May 1998.
C-CADD is currently involved in the development and certification of a 14-seater light transport aircraft (SARAS) and 5-seater general aviation aircraft (CNM-5) after having successfully certified the all composite Hansa-3, a 2-seater ab initio trainer for pilot training in flying clubs. Saras is expected to usher in a vibrant civil aircraft industry in the country in the coming years. Also in the pipeline is the development of a new generation Hansa aircraft, the Hansa-NG, offering improved features and state-of-the-art display system to meet the current requirement of flying training clubs.
Core Competencies that exist in C-CADD include Aircraft Design, Configuration aerodynamics, Wind tunnel model design, fabrication and testing, Airframe structural design and stress analysis using conventional as well as state-of-the-art finite element tools, System design and analysis comprising of flight controls, pneumatic, hydraulic, fuel power-plant, environmental control and electrical systems, Kinematic design and analysis, Aircraft Prototype Manufacturing and Inspection, CAD/ CAM, Digital mock-up, kinematic simulation, Tool and Jig Design, CNC programming and Design validation, Manufacturing of components (machined and sheet metal) for airborne application, Manufacturing of precision wind tunnel models, Dimensional Metrology and Certification of Assembly Jigs, Calibration of dimensional measuring instruments and machine tools, Aircraft Assembly, Integration and Flight Testing, Structural Assembly and integration, System level and aircraft level testing, Power plant testing, Electrical Looming, Quality Assurance and Control, Flight Testing and Telemetry Operations, and Flight Data Analysis.
The newly built Golden Jubilee Aircraft Hangar of C-CADD has important facilities such as Bonded Stores, Cold Stores, Tool Crib, Heat Treatment Furnace for Rivets, Sealant Application, bench rigs for LRUs, Aircraft Looming, Flight Test Instrumentation, Air Handling Unit, etc. to undertake aircraft activities. The Hangar has adequate built-in space to facilitate integration of three Saras category aircraft at the same time.
Expertise of C-CADD extends to design, development and manufacture of test rigs to prove concepts in a new aircraft design cycle. An Engine Test Bed has been designed, commissioned and used extensively used for validating modifications on the engine propeller combination, testing of EICAS, throttle sensitivity studies etc.
CSIR-NAL has both Design and Production approval under CEMILAC/DGAQA. Expertise exists in C-CADD to develop documented quality system for aircraft design and manufacturing as per requirements of regulatory agencies viz., DGCA, CEMILAC and DGAQA.
Apart from these activities, C-CADD also operates powered hang gliders in its possession and provides first hand training to interested staff and scientists in ab-initio flying training. C-CADD has also successfully developed and demonstrated an airboat using an air propulsion system that can be deployed for the cleaning up weeds from polluted water-bodies.