India's first short-haul light civilian aircraft, Saras, is all set to formally take-off on Sunday, if Bangalore’s weather permits.During a test-flight in late July, the first Saras prototype had skidded to one side after landing. The glitches are now known to have been caused by minor inconsistencies in the ground directional systems. Sources said the problem areas included use of the rudder, steering of the nosewheel, and selective application of brakes after landing. Over the next two days, the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) will conduct test flights to build confidence before the launch.While various delays (caused by lack of funds or components) have peppered Saras’ 13-year journey, a broad area of concern now is the prototype’s weight, which exceeds its drawing board weight considerably, though NAL feels the issue would not be difficult to resolve. While the second Saras prototype is expected to be test-flown about a year from now, NAL has proposed a two to three year schedule to obtain flight certification for Saras.Saras, a 14-seater turbo-prop aircraft, runs on twin Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66 engines. The project is set to replace the Dornier aircraft, and is being positioned for light civilian transport, air medical services, executive transport and surveillance. NAL believes there is a market for about 150 Saras aircraft in the country at this stage.Saras project director Dr K.Y. Narayan said: ‘‘We will aggressively market Saras in the domestic market first. We have not yet explored exports, though that will come later.’’ Source said, the IAF itself is likely to be a primary customer.
