RTA-70 de NAL

There you go - India seems rather keen on going ahead with plans for a turboprop regional aircraft, which it is calling the RTA-70 (model above).

Diehl unveiled a proposed cabin mock-up (below) at India Aviation 2010 that it produced in consultation with the National Aerospace Laboratories, which is leading the efforts to develop the RTA-70.

NAL officials say that they plan to design the RTA-70 with the Indian market in mind, adding that existing turboprops do not meet those requirements. These include higher fuel efficiency, short landing and take-off capability, and the ability to transport cargo.

This will give the aircraft 25% lower acquisition costs, 25% lower operating costs and 50% lower maintenance costs than existing turboprop regional aircraft, says NAL.

The 70-seat aircraft will have a range of 1,100nm (2,000km), and require a take-off field length and landing field length of 900m (2,950ft). The aircraft would have a length of 28.6m and a wing-span of 29.4m. The aircraft would have a service ceiling of 30,000ft, 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 length of 3.01m and height of 3.35m. The cargo hold would have a volume of 25m³ (880ft³).

NAL is eyeing a composite airframe. The aircraft will be powered by two "next generation turboprop engines", it adds. It would have a fly-by-wire control system, open distributed modular avionics, ADS-B navigation capabilities, and advanced displays.

This will primarily compete with ATR turboprop aircraft if the Indians go ahead. As to why they seem to think the world needs another regional aircraft is another issue altogether.

India unveils details of indigenous 70-seat turboprop

India has adopted a turboprop design for its first indigenous regional aircraft and has released preliminary specifications for the planned 70-seater.
[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] is looking for foreign partners for the Regional Transport Aircraft RTA-70 and hopes to secure additional government funding later this year.
NAL officials say that they plan to design the RTA-70 with the Indian market in mind, adding that existing turboprops do not meet those requirements. These include improved fuel efficiency, short landing and take-off capability, and the ability to transport cargo.
This will give the aircraft 25% lower acquisition costs, 25% lower operating costs and 50% lower maintenance costs than existing turboprop regional aircraft, says NAL.
Many towns and cities remain unconnected due to the cost of operations. Short take-off and landing abilities, capability to land on ill-equipped airfields, including all weather operations, can be of very high benefit," NAL says in its RTA-70 brochure.
"Given the high cost of fuel and its implication to operating economics, developing an aircraft that is fuel-efficient compared with present regional aircraft can be very promising. Lower weight, lower drag can mean higher performance and lower emissions. Capability to carry cargo means additional revenue to an operator," NAL says.
"Initial seed funding has enabled preliminary studies preliminary studies to start," it adds. This has been used for work on aerodynamics including computational fluid dynamics and windtunnel studies, it adds, while preliminary studies on sizing, specifications and performance are in progress.
NAL is eyeing a composite airframe. The aircraft will be powered by two "next-generation turboprop engines", it adds. It would have a fly-by-wire control system, open distributed modular avionics, automatic dependence surveillance - broadcast navigation capabilities, and advanced displays.
The aircraft will have better "energy efficiencies" than its current rivals, says NAL. However, it is unable to say when it hopes to move into the detailed design phase and begin the production of the aircraft.
India's state-owned [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] will manufacture the aircraft. This agreement will be similar to a deal to produce the Saras utility/transport turboprop, which NAL has developed primarily for the military, and the Tejas light combat aircraft.
NAL is seeking international partners to help it in several areas. Diehl has come on board to help design the cabin and the two teams unveiled a proposed cabin at India Aviation 2010 in Hyderabad.