| Dornier 228 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) ARUAG Dornier 228NG in 2012 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Utility aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Dornier GmbH RUAG General Atomics AeroTec Systems GmbH |
| Built by | Hindustan Aeronautics Limited |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | Indian Air Force |
| Number built | Dornier: 245[1] HAL: 125[2] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | Dornier: 1982–1997 HAL: 1985–present RUAG: 2010–2020 General Atomics: 2021-Present |
| Introduction date | July 1982 |
| First flight | 28 March 1981 |
| Developed from | Dornier Do 28 |
TheDornier 228 is a twin-turbopropSTOLutility aircraft, designed and first manufactured byDornier GmbH (laterDASA Dornier,Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. About 245 such aircraft were built inOberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 1983,Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) bought a production licence and manufactured 125 aircraft inKanpur, India.
Swiss manufacturerRUAG acquired the rights of the aircraft from Fairchild in 2002, and introduced theDornier 228 NG variant in 2009. Thefuselage, wings, and tail assembly were manufactured by HAL in Kanpur, and were transported to Oberpfaffenhofen, where RUAG carried out the final assembly. It used the same airframe as its predecessor with a new five-bladepropeller, improvedavionics,glass cockpit, and was capable of flying a longer range.
In late 2017, HAL announced the introduction of a new civilian variantHindustan-Dornier 228 for operations in India. In 2020, RUAG sold the Dornier 228 to AeroTec Systems, a subsidiary of US-basedGeneral Atomics. General Atomics announced plans to resume production of a new versionDo228 NXT.
In the late 1970s,Dornier GmbH developed a new kind of wing, the TNT (Tragflügel neuer Technologie – New Technology Wing), under a project subsidized by theGerman Government.[3] ADornier Do 28 aircraft, equipped with twoPratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engines, was fitted with the modified wing. Later, Dornier fitted the aircraft with twoGarrett AiResearch TPE-331-5 engines, and named itDornier 128.[4] The company developed two variants of the aircraft with a redesigned fuselage. The 15- and 19-seater aircraft were named asE-1 (laterDornier 228-100) andE-2 (laterDornier 228-200) respectively. Dornier put the new aircraft on stationery display at theILA Berlin Air Show in 1980. The prototypes were flown for the first time on 28 March 1981 and 9 May 1981 respectively.[4][5]
After thetype certification by German authorities was granted on 18 December 1981, the Dornier 228-100 entered commercial service withNorving in July 1982.[4] The larger Dornier 228-200 entered service with Jet Charters in late 1982.[6] The aircraft was certified by the British and American aviation authorities followed on 17 April and 11 May 1984 respectively.[5] By 1983, the production rate was about three aircraft per month, and Dornier targeted a output of 300 aircraft by the end of the 1980s.[6]
In November 1983, Dornier signed a license-production and phased technology-transfer agreement withHindustan Aeronautics Limited. A production line was established inKanpur, India, and the first aircraft rolled out of the facility in 1985.[7] By 2014, 125 Dornier 228s had been produced in India.[2] Over the years, Dornier offered various variants of the aircraft, fitted with optional equipment to several operators. In 1996, Dornier announced the ceasing of operations in Germany, and the transfer of all manufacturing operations to India. In 1998, activity on the German production line was halted, in part to concentrate on the production of the largerFairchild-Dornier 328 and in response to Dornier's wider financial difficulties.[8]
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In 2002, Swiss companyRUAG took over the services and components divisions from Fairchild Dornier, including the production rights of Dornier 228.[9] RUAG acquired the type certificate for the aircraft in 2003.[10] In December 2007, it announced an intention to launch a modernized version of the aircraft, designated as theDornier 228NG.[8][1][11] At the 2008Berlin Air Show, HAL agreed on a ten-year contract worth €80 million for the supply of fuselage, wings and tail assembly.[12] The final assembly of the aircraft was carried out in Germany.[1][13] The main changes from the previous production model were more powerful engines, a new five-blade propeller made of composite material, and an advancedglass cockpit featuring electronic instrument displays and other improvedavionics.[10][14]
In June 2010, the passenger version of Dornier 228NG was priced at €5.2 million.[15] On 18 August 2010, the aircraft received its airworthiness certification from theEuropean Aviation Safety Agency.[16]New Central Aviation took delivery of the first NG aircraft in September 2010.[17][18] However, RUAG decided to suspend production in 2013 after the completion of an initial batch of eight aircraft. In 2014, RUAG signed an agreement with theTata Group for the latter to become a key supplier of the program.[19] Production restarted in 2015, with a plan to produce four aircraft annually from 2016.[20] In February 2016, RUAG announced the beginning of serial production of the aircraft at its German production line starting in mid-2016.[21] The assembly line was reportedly capable of producing a maximum of 12 aircraft per year.[22]
In late 2017, the IndianDirectorate General of Civil Aviation issued a type certificate to the Hindustan-Dornier 228 to be manufactured by HAL. The aircraft, which had been license produced by HAL for theIndian Armed Forces was permitted to be operated for commercial purposes after modifications by HAL. The aircraft was manufactured at the HAL facility in Kanpur,[23][24] and made its public debut in the 2020Dubai Airshow.[25] The civilian version consists of 17-seater and 19-seater variants. HAL also unveiled abusiness variant, and anair ambulance model of the same aircraft.[26]
In September 2022, state owned-Alliance Air signed an agreement with HAL to lease two 17-seater Dornier 228 aircraft, and the first aircraft was delivered on 7 April 2022.[24][27] Alliance Air deployed the aircraft on theDibrugarh–Pasighat route on 12 April 2022, becoming the first Indian-made aircraft to be used for civil aviation operations in India.[24][28]
On 30 September 2020, US firmGeneral Atomics bought the Dornier 228 production line in Oberpfaffenhofen, including the transfer of all 450 employees, pending regulatory approval.[29] The sale was announced on 15 October 2020,[9] and was completed in February 2021.[30][31]
In 2020,German Aerospace Center announced a project to modify one of its two Dornier 228 aircraft into a technology demonstrator forhybrid electric aircraft in colloboration withMTU Aero Engines, with plans for testing in 2026.[32][33]
On 19 January 2023,ZeroAvia flew its Dornier 228 testbed for 10 minutes with one TPE331 turboprop replaced by a prototype hydrogen-electric powertrain consisting of twofuel cells and alithium-ion battery.[34] On 24 July 2024,KLM and ZeroAvia announced a partnership to work towards a demonstration flight using ZeroAvia's ZA2000 hydrogen-electric hybrid engines, with plans to conduct initial tests in 2026.[35]
The Dornier 228 is a twin-engine general purpose aircraft, capable of transporting up to 19 passengers or cargo. It is powered by a pair of Garrett TPE331turboprop engines. The aircraft has a rectangular fuselage with large side-loading doors, making it suitable for cargo and utility operations.[6] The aircraft is known for its versatility, low operational costs, and a high level of reliability (99%). As per its manufacturer, no other comparable aircraft in the class can carry as much capacity over a comparable distance at the speeds operated by the Dornier 228.[14]
Dornier 228 is commonly classified as aShort Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft, capable of operating from shorter and unpaved runways. This capability is largely attributed to the type'ssupercritical wing which generates a higherlift at slower speeds.[6][36] The wing is atypical and one of the more distinguishing features of the aircraft.[6][37] It is in the form of a rectangular box formed from four integrally-milledalloy panels.Kevlar is used for the ribs,stringers, trailing edge andfowler flaps, with the wing's leading edge made of conventional alloy sheet metal.[3][38] Benefits of this wing over conventional methodology include an estimated 15% reduction in weight, the elimination of large number ofrivets, and lowering the per-aircraft manufacturing workload by roughly 340 man hours. Both the fuselage and tail are of a conventional design, but make use ofchemical milling in order to save weight.[6]
The Dornier 228 has been promoted in various capacities, including as a commuter aircraft, a military transporter, cargo hauler, or as a special missions aircraft. Special missions includemaritime surveillance,border patrol,medevac,search and rescue,paradrop andenvironmental research missions, in which capacity the type has proven useful due to a ten-hour flight endurance, a wide operating range, low operational cost, and varied equipment range.[3][36][39][40] Special equipment available to be installed include a 360-degreesurveillance radar, side-looking airborne radar,forward-looking infrared sensor,search light, operator station, real-timedatalink, enlarged fuel tanks, satellite uplink, stretches, air-openable roller door, andinfrared/ultraviolet sensors.[36] In addition to a 19-seat commuter configuration for airlines, abusiness configuration is also offered, in which the cabin is customized as per client specifications. The Dornier 228 is the only aircraft of its class to be fitted withair conditioning as standard.[36][41]
More than 350 design changes were incorporated in the re-launched Dornier 228 NG. Amongst the principal changes is the adoption of Universal UNS-1 glass cockpit, which enables the aircraft to be flown under single-pilotinstrument flight rules in addition tovisual flight rules. According to RUAG, the Dornier 228NG is the first aircraft in its class to be certified with equivalent electronics.[36][42] Four large displays are used in the cockpit, which includes two primary flight displays and two multi-function displays, to present key flight data.[3] The navigation system includesVHF omnidirectional range,distance measuring equipment,automatic direction finder,radar altimeter,Global Positioning System,air data computer, and aflight management system. A three-axisautopilot can be optionally incorporated, as can aweather radar andhigh frequencyradio.[36][41] While designed for two-pilot operation, the Dornier 228NG can be flown by a single crew member.[6]
The Garrett TPE331-10 engines in the NG aircraft are optimized for the redesigned five-bladed fibre-propellers, which are more efficient, quick to start, and produces less vibration and noise than the original metal four-bladed predecessor.[36][6][43] It has the longest time between overhaul of any comparable 19-seat aircraft, reportedly up to 7,000 hours. The aircraft is also equipped with anengine-indicating and crew-alerting system, and optional safety equipment such asairborne collision avoidance system andterrain awareness and warning system.[36] In standard configuration, the aircraft uses 360 lb (160 kg) of fuel per hour while cruising at 120 kn (220 km/h) at an altitude of 8,000 ft (2,400 m).[42]
As of July 2018[update], the Dornier fleet accumulated over four million flight hours,[44] and 57 aircraft were in commercial service.[45] Other operators include police, law enforcement, paramilitary operators and military operators.
The Dornier 228 has been involved in 54aviation accidents and incidents including 41hull losses,[46] which have resulted in 205 fatalities.[47]
| Date | Flight | Fat. | Location | Event | Surv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 March 1982 | Dornier | 3 | Germany, nearIgenhausen | Prototype test flight,loss of control | 0 |
| 24 February 1985 | AWIPolar 3 | 3 | West Sahara, nearDakhla | Shot down by thePolisario Front guerrillas[49] | 0 |
| 23 September 1989 | Vayudoot PF624 | 11 | India, nearIndapur | Loss of control | 0 |
| 18 April 1991 | Air Tahiti 805 | 10 | French Polynesia, nearNuku Hiva | Engine failure on approach not acknowledged then ditching | 12 |
| 2 January 1993 | Indian Coast Guard | 4 | India, nearParadip | Crashed into sea | 2 |
| 28 February 1993 | Formosa Airlines | 6 | Taiwan, nearOrchid Island | Struck the sea while approaching Orchid Island in heavy rain | 0 |
| 31 July 1993 | Everest Air | 19 | Nepal, nearBharatpur Airport | Controlled Flight Into Terrain (Mountain) while on approach | 0 |
| 5 April 1996 | Formosa 7613 | 6 | Taiwan, nearMatsu Airport | Crashed while attempting to land | 11 |
| 10 August 1997 | Formosa 7601 | 16 | Taiwan, nearMatsu Airport | Crashed while attempting to land | 0 |
| 6 September 1997 | Royal Brunei 839 | 10 | Malaysia, nearMiri Airport | Crashed atLambir Hills National Park on approach | 0 |
| 30 July 1998 | Indian Airlines 503 | 6+3 | India,Cochin airport | Poor stabiliser maintenance, loss of control, 3 killed on ground[50] | 0 |
| 7 August 1999 | TACV Flight 5002 | 18 | Cape Verde,Santo Antão Airport | Controlled Flight Into Terrain – Mountain | 0 |
| 17 September 2006 | Nigerian Air Force | 13 | Nigeria, nearVandeikya | Controlled Flight Into Terrain – Mountain | 5 |
| 24 August 2010 | Agni Air Flight 101 | 14 | Nepal, nearShikharpur, Narayani | Controlled Flight Into Terrain – Mountain | 0 |
| 14 May 2012 | Agni Air Flight CHT | 15 | Nepal, nearJomsom Airport | Crashed while attempting to land[51] | 6 |
| 28 September 2012 | Sita Air Flight 601 | 19 | Nepal, nearKathmandu Airport | Enginebird strike, crashed and burned shortly after takeoff | 0 |
| 9 September 2013 | CorpFlite | 2 | Chile, nearViña del Mar Airport | Crashed into power lines whilst attempting to land in fog[52] | 0 |
| 24 March 2015 | Indian Navy | 2 | Indian Ocean, nearGoa, India | Believed to have plunged into the sea after technical problems[53][54] | 1 |
| 8 June 2015 | Indian Coast Guard | 3 | Indian Ocean, nearPichavaram | Crashed into sea, located on 10 July, 16.5 nmi off coast | 0 |
| 29 August 2015 | Nigerian Air Force | 7 | Kaduna, Nigeria | Crashed into a house and burned near departure airport[55] | 0 |
| 24 November 2019 | Busy Bee Congo | 21+6 | Goma, DR Congo | Crashed on takeoff fromGoma Airport[56] | 1 |
| 10 June 2024 | Malawi Defence Force | 9 | Chikangawa Forest Reserve, Malawi | Crashed en route fromLilongwe toMzuzu[57] | 0 |
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
