Palghar to see first indigenous aircraft unit

The first indigenous aircraft manufacturing unit, which was designed by Mumbai-based captain Amol Yadav, is likely to start at Palghar, 130 km away from Mumbai. The Maharashtra government has offered 157 acres of land for the manufacturing unit. It will be the first-of-its-kind 20-seated aircraft manufacturing company in India and fourth in the world.

Thrust Aircraft Private Limited (TAPL) is a unique venture promoted by self-motivated entrepreneur-cum-captain Amol Yadav who is a deputy chief pilot by profession. According to Amol, he has been working on building indigenous aircraft for the past 17 years. The aircraft built by Amol and his company was showcased in the Make in India exhibition held in February at the Bandra-Kurla Complex ground. Rashmikant Yadav, Amol’s elder brother, said that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis stood behind them right from the time of that exhibition and considered it as his pet project to start manufacturing of aircraft in Maharashtra.

The state has offered 157 acres of land near Palghar city located at Kelva station. “We will need 50 acres for setting up of the manufacturing unit and 150 acre for research and development (R & D) and operations. At present, the government has given 157 acre land,” said Amol.

He added that once land was handed over to TAPL, they would start manufacturing from November 1. “By the end of next year, we could manage to build one prototype and three commercial plans. We are expecting inauguration of the unit at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Amol.

Production of the aircraft led to stiff competition between two of the foremost aircraft engine manufacturing companies British Rolls Royce and US-based Pratt Whitney. However, it was Pratt Whitney that signed the Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Amol’s company. The company is ready to supply two engines of 850 Horse Power (HP) to Amol’s TAPL.

Amol said that his company plans to produce 100 such aircrafts once the production facility takes off. He said it usually takes Rs 60 crore to manufacture a 20 seater aircraft but his company would do so for just Rs 30 crore.