Bangalore: The first prototype of India's indigenous civilian aircraft, Saras, made its maiden flight successfully early this morning (May 29, 2004).

"It was a good flight", B R Pai, Director of the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), which has designed and developed the aircraft, said soon after it landed.

The aircraft took off from the HAL airport and flew for about 30 minutes.

Saras was scheduled to make its maiden flight yesterday (May 28, 2004) but it was put off by a day.

The Bangalore-based NAL has designed and developed the 14-seater multi-role aircraft for use as executive jet and for courier, reconnaissance and commuter roles.

The twin turbo-prop aircraft was flown by Sq. Ldr K K Venugopal.

The prototype, powered by two American Pratt and Whitney engines, now weighs 5,118 kgs, about 900 kgs heavier than its desired empty weight of 4,125 kgs and is equipped with five seats including one for the pilot and an observer.

Two prototypes of Saras have to be flown for a total of 500 hours before it receives the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) certification, which is expected to be completed by 2007.

The Rs 150 crore project on Saras, named after the Indian crane, began in 1991 but hit air pockets due to the denial of critical components following US sanctions imposed in the wake of the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998.

The NAL, a CSIR lab, revived the project in 2000 after the Government assured additional capital infusion of Rs 200 crore into it.