The joint venture agreement between the technology group RUAG, based in Bern, and the Indian company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) for the delivery of the first three sets of components by HAL was signed during the opening tour on 27 May 2008 in the presence of the German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel. This agreement is worth around five million euros and forms part of a wider, ten-year contract with a total value of 80 million euros.

Dornier 228 is being manufactured again by a German-Indian joint venture By 2002 the previous manufacturer, Fairchild-Dornier, had built some 250 of these twin-engined 19-seaters, and HAL has now acquired the licence to manufacture them in India. Due to the demand for aircraft of this category, final assembly of this model will resume shortly at Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, using fuselage, wing and control surface components supplied from India. This new generation of more advanced Dornier 228s is being equipped with digital avionics and a quieter, five-bladed propeller.

Trendsetting German-Indian cooperation: RUAG Aerospace resumes production of Dornier 228 New Generation aircraft

A milestone in the development of RUAG Aerospace Services at the Oberpfaffenhofen site is the resumption of series production of the Dornier 228 aircraft, now designated Dornier 228 New Generation.

After extensive and detailed investigations and an in-depth audit by the bodies of RUAG a resumption in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich of the Dornier 228 regional aircraft production was decided by the RUAG supervisory board.

Of this two-engine turboprop aircraft, nearly 250 aircraft were manufactured in Oberpfaffenhofen from 1982 to 2002. Of these, today more than 180 a/c are still in use worldwide. Since type certification and worldwide customer support takeover by RUAG Aerospace in 2003 the technical and operational readiness of the entire fleet could be increased considerably. The RUAG Aerospace production concept provides to carry out in Oberpfaffenhofen the aircraft final assembly, a/c outfitting and installation of special equipment.

In a trendsetting Indian-German cooperation the primary structure components fuselage, wings and tail unit are manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited of Kanpur (India) and delivered by land and by sea to Oberpfaffenhofen.

The Dornier 228 New Generation aircraft will be equipped with new digital avionics as well as a glass cockpit. Use of an advanced 5-blade propeller will reduce noise emission and enhance operational range of the aircraft as well as its takeoff and landing performances.