Suppose a guy wants to own a Hummer, do you suppose he would go out and buy one or attempt to build one from scratch - designing it from the tyres up?
What if I say that I know a bunch of guys who are planning to do just that - design, build and own a fleet of Hummers? The most probable reaction would be either call me insane for suggesting that such a group exists or laugh your eyes off at them.
So what do you think we should do when a high powered panel recommends that India start to design and build a 70 - 90 seat passenger aircraft on its own?
They want to sink about Rs. 8,000 crores (~ $1.8 billion) into the project, all to be financed by the Government and then subsequently transfer the technology to industry, (? should we read it as ‘a’ private company ?) for commercial production and profits (to the company).
This in a nation which still hasn’t produced an Engine for its fighter aircraft or design and build its own basic trainer aircraft! (BTW the Engine development is estimated to have burned through almost Rs. 3000 crores [~ $700 mn] by now).
There are 2 questions apart from the ones above.
Isn’t something wonky that this Government says distributing rotting food grains to hungry people is not feasible, yet is apparently willing to throw almost $2 bn to reinvent an aluminium tube with tyres. Speaking of tyres, here is an old B.C. comic cartoon.
What if I say that I know a bunch of guys who are planning to do just that - design, build and own a fleet of Hummers? The most probable reaction would be either call me insane for suggesting that such a group exists or laugh your eyes off at them.
So what do you think we should do when a high powered panel recommends that India start to design and build a 70 - 90 seat passenger aircraft on its own?
They want to sink about Rs. 8,000 crores (~ $1.8 billion) into the project, all to be financed by the Government and then subsequently transfer the technology to industry, (? should we read it as ‘a’ private company ?) for commercial production and profits (to the company).
This in a nation which still hasn’t produced an Engine for its fighter aircraft or design and build its own basic trainer aircraft! (BTW the Engine development is estimated to have burned through almost Rs. 3000 crores [~ $700 mn] by now).
There are 2 questions apart from the ones above.
- The first is why design and build one, when you can collaborate, partner or takeover a proven airplane?
- China’s Comac did just that early this year by tying up with Bombardier of Canada even though Comac has already flown 6 prototypes of its ARJ21 - Soaring Phoenix.
- So why not tie up with Embraer of Brazil which already has a proven line up of aircrafts, of which 3 were bought by the IAF for AEW role and 5 executive jets for VVIP flying instead of reinventing the wheel?
- The second is why is the American model not followed, since this administration seems to be so fond of everything American? Why were the (interested / potential) private companies to whom the commercial production would be transferred to, not asked to prepare the feasibility study (at least), if not the prototype aircraft? Why should the government invest our tax Rupees to eventually stuff the pockets of those fat cats?
- After all, Tata Sons had enough money and muscle to take over Jaguar-Land Rover and also the brains not to attempt the design and development of a Land Rover imitation from scratch - for almost what the 90 seat aircraft project is expected to cost ($2.13 bn vs. $1.8 bn)
- If the Brazil nuts or Canadian cojones are not to our liking, there is always the Dutch stamppot - the now limping Fokker in its new avatar as Stork/Fokker Aerospace/Technologies.
- Even more juicy is to just pump the money into the reported on going attempt by Cades Digitech to collaborate in re-engineering / upgrade of Fokker70 with Rekkof Aircraft (‘Fokker’ in reverse).
Isn’t something wonky that this Government says distributing rotting food grains to hungry people is not feasible, yet is apparently willing to throw almost $2 bn to reinvent an aluminium tube with tyres. Speaking of tyres, here is an old B.C. comic cartoon.
No comments:
Post a Comment