'Specifications of India's civil aircraft likely in three months'

The specifications for India's national civil aircraft may be finalized in two to three months, a civil aviation ministry official said Friday.

A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed for the project will decide the type of engine, size and seating capacity of the aircraft.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the public sector manufacturer of civilian and defence aircraft parts and systems, has formed the SPV with other public sector aerospace firm, National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) to design and develop the aircraft for civil aviation.

G. Ashok Kumar, joint secretary in the civil aviation ministry, said it may take seven to eight years to develop the first prototype.

"The SPV will decide the type of engine and whether number of seats should be 70, 80 or 100," he told reporters at the ongoing India Aviation 2014, country's largest civil aviation show.

The Civil Aviation Products Advisory Council (CAPAC), headed by the civil aviation secretary, discussed the project at its meeting at the aviation show here.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July last year had approved a high-powered committee to design and manufacture the civil aircraft. The project for building the indigenous aircraft was initially estimated to cost Rs.4,355 crore.

The CAPAC meeting discussed draft national aeronautics policy and also reviewed the regulations to promote aeronautical products manufacturing in the country

Major aviation manufacturers of the country attended the meeting, during which Andhra Pradesh government showcase its policy and incentives to attract aviation industry.

Officials from the state government showcase state's first aerospace Special Economic Zone (SEZ) coming up at Adibatla on the outskirts of Hyderabad.