A prototype of Saras, the country's first indigenously developed civil aeroplane, flew on Wednesday for the first time in nearly a decade, kindling hope of revival of the civil aircraft programme. The Saras (PT-1N), an upgraded version of the first prototype, took to the skies here for about 40 minutes, which a scientist at the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), the design agency, said had met the expectation.

Piloted by Wing Commander U P Singh and Group Captains R V Panicker and K P Bhat. The three belong to the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, the air ...