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Regular
Join Date: 01-25-04
Location: New Delhi, India
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SARAS: Home grown, multi-pupose mainly civilian aircraft
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Design and Technology
SARAS is a twin turbo-prop multi-role light transport aircraft suitable for short hops in the commuter role as well as long range, high speed cruise in the executive transport version. The aircraft has the following features:
* All weather, day/night flying capability
* Operability from semi-prepared runways
* Operability from high altitude airfields on hot days
with little or no compromise on take-off weight
* Pressurised cabin
* Cabin comfort level matching that of regional aircraft
* Fully duplicated flight deck.
* SARAS has the following specific design goals:
* Multi-role capability
* Short take off and landing characteristics
* High cruise speed
* Ruggedness and reliability
* Ease of maintenance
* High specific range
* Low operating cost
These goals are achieved by using appropriate levels of technology in various areas:
* Superior aerodynamics
* Efficient,reliable power plant
* Efficient,high lift system
* Selective use of composite material for low structural weight
* Integrated digital avionics to reduce pilot workload
* Use of well proven systems for high reliability
Performance
* Take-off distance (ISA,SL): 570 m
* Landing distance (ISA,SL): 605 m
* Max rate of climb (ISA,SL): 12m/s
* Max speed: 620 km/h
* Max range (14 pax): 400 km
* Max range (8 pax): 1400 km
* Ferry range: 1924 km
* Max specific range: 2.5 km/kg
Operational Capability
Saras has been designed right from the beginning as a multi-role aircraft. The large cabin column (16m(3)) lends itself easily to configuring the aircraft in a variety of roles.
Power Plant
SARAS is powered by two Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-66 engines driving 2.16m diameter 5 bladed propellers at 2000 rpm in a pusher configuration. The engines are mounted on stub wings locate at aft fuselage resulting in quieter cabin and undisturbed flow on the wing.
Flight Deck
Crew work environment
* Ergonomically designed flight deck
* Fully equipped for two-crew operation
* Excellent field of view from crew seat
* Stretched acrylic front and side panels
* Adequate protection against bird strikes
* Electrically heated front wind screen
* Fully articulated, four-way adjustable crew seats with arm rests and inertia reel shoulder harness
Cockpit display system
* Economical blend of electronic displays with conventional electro-mechanical instruments
* 4-tube Electronic Flight Instrumentation System
* 'Get-you-home' type back-up instruments logically grouped for easy scanning
* Centralised warning panel annunciates both aurally and visually pre-selected system malfunctions and flight emergencies
Flight Control System
* Primary flying controls manually actuated
* Pitch, roll and yaw trimmers, flap and spoiler electrically actuated
* Three axis auto-pilot interfaced with primary control system
Avionics System
SARAS has a state-of-the-art, Arinc-429 compatible integrated digital avionics system.
Material and Structures
A judicious combination of conventional aluminium alloy and composite material is employed to realise an efficient structure
* Aluminium alloy wings, stub wing, fuselage
* Composite empennage, flaps, control surfaces, nacelle
* Structure designed for 30,000 h life
* Fail safe philosophy used for all primary structures and major attachments
* Damage tolerance concepts incorporated in design
Environmental Control System
* Fuselage designed for a pressure differential of 0.457kg/cm (3) (6.5psi)
* Cabin altitude of 2.4 km (8000 ft) is maintained upto 9 km (30,000 ft) aircraft altitude; increases to about 3.7 km (12,000 ft) at an aircraft altitude of 12 km (40,000 ft)
* Cabin temperature maintained between 18(0)C and 25(0)C at all operating conditions including ground run and taxying
* Two wheel boot strap system with high pressure water separator and electric fan for ground cooling
* The system is selected for high cooling efficiency with minimum bleed air at all operating conditions
Reliability
Achieving a high degree of reliability has been one of the major goals in the design and this has resulted in selecting systems, sub-systems and other equipment which are well proven, certificated and have established a good track record of reliability. For example, the PT6 family of engines has established over the years a reputation for extremely reliable engines. The integrated digital avionics system has inherently a high level of reliablity with practically no maintenance-intensive component which might wear out or break down. Redundancy has been built into all critical areas so that the overall system reliability is high.
Maintainability and Availability
Attention has been given right from the beginning for easy maintenance and thus to increase aircraft availability. Equipment needing inspection / maintenance are provided easy access. The PT6A-66 engine is of modular construction and thus easy to maintain. Furthermore, the cowling is designed in such a way that the front and rear ends are removable and centre section has swinging doors and panels to have full access to servicing points on engine and aircraft accessories. Hot section inspection which is usually carried at mid time between overhauls can be done in-situ by removing rear end of nacelle. The avionics equipment, hydraulic system and the air conditioning system bays, all have large doors for easy access.
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Quote:
From NDTV.com
The first prototype of Saras, India's home-grown civilian aircraft, made its maiden flight successfully for 20 minutes at the HAL airport here today.
Flanked by two Kiran trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force, Saras, designed and developed by National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, took off at 8.20 am and flew for about 35 kms over the city before making a perfect landing at 8.40 am, to the jubilation of NAL scientists and employees.
"It was a good flight," NAL Director R Pai said soon after the 20 minute test sortie piloted by Sq Ldr K K Venugopal and Wg Commander Makhan of the IAF's Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). "It went off very well," said Pai, but declined to elaborate further.
Multi-role aircraft
The prototype, powered by two Canadian Pratt and Whitney engines weighs 5,118 kgs, about 900 kgs heavier than its desired empty weight of 4,125 kgs and was equipped with five seats.
"It reached a speed of 150 nautical miles and flew at an altitude of about 8,000 feet. The landing was good and the aircraft was handling beautifully," an ASTE official said.
NAL, a CSIR lab, began work on the 14-seater Saras named after the Indian crane, in 1991 but the Rs 139 crore project hit air pockets due to the denial of critical components following US sanctions imposed in the wake of the Pokhran nuclear blasts in 1998, but was revived in 2001 with a cost escalation of 20 per cent.
The multi-role aircraft is designed for use as executive jet, courier, reconnaisance and commuter roles. (With PTI inputs).
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How significant is this for the Indian avionics industry? They do have some ambitious plan for the future, and knowing the local media we'll hail this test flight like no tommorrow, but is this prototype something to really celebrate over?
Discuss.
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05-29-2004, 04:53 AM
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