Description

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Context

The Saras Mk2, an updated version of an India-designed civilian aircraft, is set to test-fly in December 2027, Director, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories told recently.

SARAS Mk2

Attribute	Description
Type	Multi-purpose, light transport civilian aircraft
Capacity	19-seater
Developer	CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories Bengaluru
In Collaboration With	Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
First Flight Scheduled	December 2027

Significance

India’s first civil aircraft in the light transport category designed and developed indigenously.

Promotes regional air connectivity and civil aviation infrastructure under the UDAN scheme.

Helps reduce dependency on imported regional aircraft like Dornier 228, Beechcraft 1900 etc.

Aims to revive India’s civil aviation R&D sector which has been dormant since the HAL Pushpak and Saras Mk1 era.

Specifications

Feature	Specification
Maximum Passengers	19
Weight Class	7.5 tons
Cruise Speed	500 kmph
Stall Speed	185 kmph
Range	775 km (with 19 passengers), 2450 km (with 7 passengers)
Endurance	6 hours
Service Ceiling	29,000 ft
Take-off Distance	790 m
Landing Distance	740 m
Engines	2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67A turboprop engines
Avionics	State-of-the-art glass cockpit, advanced navigation and control systems

Multi-Purpose Applications

Use Case	Utility
Regional Connectivity	Linking Tier-1 to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities
Disaster Response	Medical evacuation, relief operations, and disaster logistics
Air Ambulance	Fitted with medical equipment for emergency airlifts
Cargo Transport	Light cargo movement to remote and hilly regions
Training & Research	Platform for pilot training and flight research

Comparison with Other Light Civil Aircraft

Aircraft	Country	Capacity	Range	Speed	Use Case
Saras Mk2	India	19	2450 km (max)	500 kmph	Regional transport, disaster relief
Dornier Do 228	Germany / India (HAL-built)	19	~700–1300 km	428 kmph	Civil + Defence
Beechcraft 1900D	USA	19	2,550 km	518 kmph	Regional airline operations
LET L-410 Turbolet	Czech Republic	19	1,500 km	405 kmph	Remote area ops, cargo
Twin Otter (Viking Air)	Canada	19	~1,400 km	338 kmph	STOL, island & mountainous ops
Ilyushin Il-103 (Russian)	Russia	3–4	1,200 km	300 kmph	Civil pilot training, short hops
Nurtanio N-219	Indonesia	19	1,500–1,600 km	390 kmph	Regional flights, medevac

Development History of Saras

Version	Key Info
Saras Mk1	First developed in early 2000s; suffered a crash in 2009 during a test flight, halting the project temporarily
Saras Mk1-C	Redesigned prototype tested again from 2018 onwards
Saras Mk2	Fully upgraded with modern engines, avionics, materials; more fuel-efficient and passenger-friendly

Sources:

JETLINEMARVEL

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. With reference to the SARAS Mk2 aircraft, consider the following statements:

It is India’s first indigenously developed military aircraft for surveillance operations.
The aircraft is being developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
It is capable of carrying 19 passengers and has a range of over 2000 km with reduced load.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: B.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect.

SARAS Mk2 is a civilian aircraft not military.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

It is being developed by CSIR-NAL not HAL.

Statement 3 is correct.

It can fly 2450 km with 7 passengers proving long range capability under reduced load.