Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, has just purchased two Dornier 228 aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Kanpur. Twin-engine turboprop multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft produced by HAL for the Indian military and coast guard.
President Ali visited six cities during his seven-day trip to India, which began on January 8. These cities were Delhi, Indore, Bengaluru, Kanpur, Agra, and Mumbai. He also attended the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Over the course of more than two and a half hours, the President spoke with HAL employees, toured the facility, and looked over aircraft, including the CG-767 Dornier 18-seater used by the Indian Coast Guard.
However, some aviation community members were concerned that Guyana could lose its over 70% safety rating if the Dornier 228 aircraft were obtained. However, Retired Col. Egbert Field, Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), claimed that the rating would not be altered.
As part of the Type Certificate (TC) issuance procedure, he stated that Guyana would examine the technical specifications and drawings of the HAL aircraft that Guyana wishes to purchase. “The path to TC acceptance has been cleared,” he stated.
In addition, the GCAA Director General stated that he had consulted with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and referenced their recommendations throughout the entire process.
As is the case in a number of other nations, the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) flies its own planes. However, they are registered as civilian aircraft rather than as military planes.
The two 19-seater Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) planes would help with maritime patrols and VIP transportation if purchased by the Guyanaian military.