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Mahindra & Mahindra GDR : The C-NM5 from CSIR-NAL and makes its maiden flight Milestone event for ’s first public-private while operating in environments with limited partnership in aircraft development. at extremely low costs per seat mile. India's CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories “It is our privilege to announce an important (CSIR-NAL – a constituent laboratory of the milestone in the C-NM5 programme with the first Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), and flight of the prototype in Australia which was Mahindra Aerospace (a part of India’s US $12.5 undertaken by Mahindra. This is not only a billion ) today announced the pioneering public-private partnership for India, but successful maiden flight of their jointly developed also symbolizes the globalized nature of the C-NM5 aircraft, marking an important milestone in technological knowledge pool from which we can their collaborative aircraft development programme. all draw from and contribute to, leading to The programme is India's first public-private execution excellence” said Prof. Samir partnership in the development of aircraft, and this Brahmachari, Director General, CSIR, and milestone event is the result of teamwork across Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial three development teams – CSIR-NAL, Mahindra Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Aerospace and GippsAero (a Mahindra Aerospace Government of India subsidiary in Australia). “It gives us great pride to see our first indigenous Engineers from CSIR-NAL and Mahindra effort, the C-NM5, developed along with the CSIR- Aerospace spent close to three years designing this National Aerospace Laboratories, complete its all-new aircraft using cutting-edge design and maiden flight. A partnership that will enable India analysis tools. The prototype was built over a 10 to Rise – to the skies! This project is part of month period by the rapid prototyping team at Mahindra’s goal to provide transportation and GippsAero in their facilities near Melbourne, connectivity solutions to communities everywhere. Australia. Flight testing is being performed at My congratulations to our teams in India and GippsAero by a professionally-trained test pilot Australia for successfully executing India’s first supported by GippsAero’s flight test team. public-private partnership in aircraft development,” The 45-minute first flight on the 1st of September said Mr. , Vice Chairman and tested basic handling of the aircraft. Subsequent Managing Director, Mahindra Group. flights have evaluated aircraft stability and control “I am delighted to see the CSIR-NAL + MAPL in different flight regimes. Developmental flight partnership deliver the fruits of their endeavour in a testing and evaluations are continuing, with the manner that augurs well for more such projects and ultimate objective of achieving Type Certification which will provide the impetus for the development in keeping with international regulatory standards, of a world class indigenous aerospace industry in followed by a global sales and marketing India . I look forward to building on the pioneering programme. efforts of my predecessor Dr. Upadhyaya who The C-NM5 is a 5-seat all-metal aircraft powered mentored this partnership” said Mr Shyam Shetty, by a Lycoming IO-540 engine, and features non- Director CSIR-NAL. retractable landing gear and a spacious cabin with “The C-NM5's first flight symbolizes our large access doors. The cabin interior is commitment to taking a concept from dream to reconfigurable to adapt the aircraft to different reality. This is the first flight on a journey which we roles, while simplicity of systems and ease of hope will take us far into the utility aircraft space maintenance are design drivers throughout the and help us fulfil a need in developing economies aircraft. The C-NM5 thus complements Mahindra world-wide. A journey that would not have come as far, were it not for the teamwork between our Aerospace's growing family of light utility aircraft strong technological partners, CSIR-NAL, our that are designed to meet the latest global standards, experienced colleagues in Mahindra Aerospace and its Australian subsidiary GippsAero” said Mr. Hemant Luthra, Chairman, Mahindra Aerospace listing of the biggest and most powerful listed Pvt. Ltd. companies in the world. Dun & Bradstreet also About CSIR ranked Mahindra at No. 1 in the automobile sector The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research in its list of India’s Top 500 Companies. In 2010, (CSIR) - the industrial R&D organization Mahindra featured in the Credit Suisse Great in India - was constituted in 1942 by a resolution of Brands of Tomorrow. Its flagship company the then Central Legislative Assembly. It is an Mahindra & Mahindra Limited is the only Indian autonomous body registered under the Registration automobile manufacturer to feature in the top 10 list of Societies Act of 1860. CSIR aims to provide of the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index in India industrial competitiveness, social welfare, a strong - 2010, created by the Carbon Disclosure Project S&T base for strategic sectors and advancement of (CDP). fundamental knowledge. Today, CSIR is recognised In 2011, Mahindra acquired a majority stake in as one of the world’s largest publicly funded R&D Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company. organisations with links to academia, R&D For further information, please visit organisations and industry. CSIR’s 37 laboratories www.mahindra.com Connect with us on knit India into a giant network that impacts and www.facebook.com/mahindragroup adds quality to the life of each and every Indian. It is also party to the prestigious Global Research About Mahindra Aerospace (MAPL) Alliance with the objective of drawing from an Mahindra Aerospace was formed in 2008 to lead the international knowledge pool for worldwide good Mahindra Group’s foray into the global Aerospace through global funding. components, assemblies and aerostructures About CSIR-NAL manufacturing on one hand and utility aircraft on CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) is a the other. In 2009, MAPL acquired Aerostaff constituent institution of the Council of Scientific Australia and GippsAero (formally Gippsland and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry Aeronautics), both based in Australia. With an of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. CSIR- overall investment commitment in excess of NAL is a premier aerospace research and US$100 Mn, MAPL is steadily expanding its technology development organization of the portfolio in both aircraft and aerostructures, and has country, with activities and facilities spread over started work on developing a major aero structures three campuses located in Bangalore. Over the last manufacturing facility in India. Its fixed-wing 5 decades, CSIR-NAL has successfully contributed aircraft portfolio will soon expand to include to the growth of aerospace activities in the country, multiple models in the 2-20 seat class, with both in particular to the projects of national importance single engine and twin-engine aircraft on offer. Its in the defence and space sectors. In the last decade, aerostructures capability will offer multiple CSIR-NAL has also taken up the mandate for the sourcing options leveraging global best practices in design and development of small civil aircraft for two continents. national needs. As a result of its successful efforts About GippsAero and significant contributions, CSIR-NAL has come GippsAero is the aircraft manufacturing subsidiary to be recognized internationally as a major center of Mahindra Aerospace and is located in the for aerospace research and development activities. Latrobe Valley of Victoria in Australia. Its current About the Mahindra Group production model is the GA8 Airvan, a light single- The Mahindra Group focuses on enabling people to engined utility aircraft with wide application in a rise. Mahindra operates in the key industries that variety of roles including charter, tourism, drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership emergency relief and cargo transportation. The position in tractors, utility vehicles, information Airvan and GippsAero’s aircraft development and technology and vacation ownership. Mahindra has a production facilities in Australia are certified by presence in the , , several international regulators including the aerospace, components, consulting services, CASA, FAA and EASA. The Company has defence, energy, financial services, industrial manufactured in excess of 200 aircraft flying in equipment, logistics, real estate, , steel and two more than 30 countries world-wide, including the wheelers. A US $12.5 billion multinational group USA, Australia, and several nations in Europe, based in , India, Mahindra employs more Africa and Asia. than 1,37,000 people in over 100 countries. In 2011, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list, a