<p>Tiruppur: Homegrown Sakthi Aircraft Industry Private Limited (SAIPL) will start the delivery of single-engine four-seater trainer aircraft by mid-2026, becoming the first Indian private player to venture into this sector. </p>.<p>SAIPL, a part of the diversified Sakthi Group of Companies, is investing Rs 750 crore to build a massive assembly facility on the outskirts of Tiruppur. </p>.<p>The company has entered into an agreement with Austria’s Diamond Aircraft Industries to produce DA-40 NG single-engine, four-seater trainers, a development that is expected to reduce India’s dependence on foreign countries for trainer aircraft. </p>.<p>The Coimbatore-based Sakthi Group ventured into the sector amid a huge demand for pilots in the country, with the Indian airline industry growing at a rapid pace. </p>.<p>“Production will start by the end of January, and we will kick-off the CAR 21 certification from DGCA. We expect the certification to be completed by March and plan to deliver aircraft to customers from mid-2026,” SAIPL Director Govindh Rajkumar told DH.</p>.<p>The CAR 21 certification process involves the DGCA observing and assessing full-scale production of the aircraft. </p>.<p>Rajkumar said the company plans to assemble one aircraft a week, scaling to four per week at full capacity and 100 aircraft every year. The capacity will be enhanced further, if needed, he added. </p>.<p>The aircraft will be assembled at an 80,000 sq feet manufacturing facility inside an existing campus owned by the company and the location falls on the Coimbatore Defence Corridor. </p>.<p>Rajkumar said 90% of the production will serve India’s domestic market, while the remaining 10% is likely to cater to neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. </p>.<p>“The Flying Training Organisations in India are primarily our main target customers. We are in talks with 15-20 of the 35 FTOs in the country. Of those we are in talks with, we have discussed term sheets with four of them and aim to close the deal in a month’s time,” Rajkumar added. </p>
<p>Tiruppur: Homegrown Sakthi Aircraft Industry Private Limited (SAIPL) will start the delivery of single-engine four-seater trainer aircraft by mid-2026, becoming the first Indian private player to venture into this sector. </p>.<p>SAIPL, a part of the diversified Sakthi Group of Companies, is investing Rs 750 crore to build a massive assembly facility on the outskirts of Tiruppur. </p>.<p>The company has entered into an agreement with Austria’s Diamond Aircraft Industries to produce DA-40 NG single-engine, four-seater trainers, a development that is expected to reduce India’s dependence on foreign countries for trainer aircraft. </p>.<p>The Coimbatore-based Sakthi Group ventured into the sector amid a huge demand for pilots in the country, with the Indian airline industry growing at a rapid pace. </p>.<p>“Production will start by the end of January, and we will kick-off the CAR 21 certification from DGCA. We expect the certification to be completed by March and plan to deliver aircraft to customers from mid-2026,” SAIPL Director Govindh Rajkumar told DH.</p>.<p>The CAR 21 certification process involves the DGCA observing and assessing full-scale production of the aircraft. </p>.<p>Rajkumar said the company plans to assemble one aircraft a week, scaling to four per week at full capacity and 100 aircraft every year. The capacity will be enhanced further, if needed, he added. </p>.<p>The aircraft will be assembled at an 80,000 sq feet manufacturing facility inside an existing campus owned by the company and the location falls on the Coimbatore Defence Corridor. </p>.<p>Rajkumar said 90% of the production will serve India’s domestic market, while the remaining 10% is likely to cater to neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. </p>.<p>“The Flying Training Organisations in India are primarily our main target customers. We are in talks with 15-20 of the 35 FTOs in the country. Of those we are in talks with, we have discussed term sheets with four of them and aim to close the deal in a month’s time,” Rajkumar added. </p>