India's first aircraft makes maiden flight

BANGALORE, India, May 29 (UPI) -- India's first civilian aircraft made its maiden flight Saturday at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited airport in Bangalore.

The Indian Express reported the first prototype of the Saras airplane was flanked by two Kiran trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force during the 20-minute flight.

Saras, named after the Indian crane, was designed and developed by India's National Aerospace Laboratories. It is powered by two Canadian Pratt and Whitney engines and equipped with five seats.

"It was a good flight," NAL Director B.R. Pai said after the test flight. "It went off very well."

The plane reached a speed of 150 nautical miles an hour and flew at an altitude of about 8,000 feet.