India's Upcoming Twin Turboprop Passes Important Milestone

The first C295 for India has successfully completed its maiden flight, continuing its march towards delivery by the second half of 2023.

The aircraft took off from Seville, Spain on May 5th, completing a leisurely 3-hour test flight as Embraer put the new bird through its paces.

“This first flight represents a significant accomplishment for the first Make in India aerospace programme. With the Indian Air Force set to become the largest operator of the C295 in the world, this programme exemplifies our commitment to improve the Indian Air Force (IAF) operational capabilities,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

India currently has 56 C295 aircraft on order, placed in 2021 to eventually replace its legacy fleet of Avro aircraft. The first 16 aircraft will be built in Seville, Spain and delivered flight ready when complete. After the initial 16 airframes are built out, the last 40 will be built in a partnership between Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India. The program is hoped to bolster India's aerospace industry with a healthy injection of aerostructures, electronics, and parts support. Other customers of the C295 program account for 280 aircraft on order.

FMI: www.embraer.com