Made-in-India Dornier plane takes off for first commercial flight

PTI

Dibrugarh, April 12

Alliance Air's made-in-India Dornier 228 aircraft was deployed for its first commercial flight on the Dibrugarh-Pasighat route on Tuesday with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kiren Rijiju on board.

Accompanied by senior government officers, Scindia and Rijiju boarded the flight at the Mohanpur airport in Assam's Dibrugarh for Pasighat in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.

माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी द्वारा उत्तर-पूर्व को प्राथमिकता वाला क्षेत्र घोषित किये जाने के बाद आज #UDAN के तहत देश में निर्मित डोर्नियर द्वारा डिब्रूगढ़-पासीघाट-लीलाबाड़ी-गुवाहाटी फ्लाइट का उद्घाटन इस दिशा में एक ऐतिहासिक कदम है! राज्य के नागरिकों को हार्दिक बधाई! pic.twitter.com/sasDJ6cHjp

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) April 12, 2022

The state-run Alliance Air became the country's first commercial airline to fly an Indian-made aircraft for civil operations. Till now, Dornier 228 planes were used by the armed forces only.

Overjoyed and proud to embark on the 17 seater Made-in-India Dornier 228 aircraft - in its first ever maiden service to Arunachal Pradesh! Jai ho! @KirenRijiju pic.twitter.com/nEuUykrvAC

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) April 12, 2022

Alliance Air had in February signed an agreement with the government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to lease two 17-seater Dornier 228 aircraft. The airline received its first Dornier 228 plane on April 7.

Regular flight operations are slated to start from April 18 on the Dibrugarh-Pasighat-Lilabari-Dibrugarh route.

A historic day for the North East, as well as for all of India! With the pro-active support of Sh @PemaKhanduBJP, @MoCA_GoI has launched the first-ever commercial services by the made-in-India Dornier aircraft.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/sYOmo8nfoo

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) April 12, 2022

The services will be further expanded to Tezu, Mechuka, Ziro and Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh with the Dibrugarh airport as the hub station.

The services will be operated by Alliance Air under regional connectivity scheme UDAN.

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