45th anniversary of the Dornier 228 general-purpose aircraft

March 21 marked the 45th anniversary of the Do.228 general-purpose aircraft, developed by the German company Dornier GmbH. On that day in 1981, its first prototype took flight at the Oberpfaffenhofen airfield, located in the suburbs of Munich.

A distinctive feature of the aircraft was its excellent takeoff and landing performance. German designers achieved this primarily through aerodynamic design, despite the aircraft’s moderate powerplant, which positively impacted its fuel efficiency. American TPE331-5A-252 engines were selected for the powerplant, as the Do.228 was developed with the Indian market in mind, and a regional service center for these engines already existed there.

The production Do.228-212 was equipped with two AlliedSignal TPE331-5A-252D turboprop engines, each rated at 776 hp. The aircraft had a length of 16.56 m, a wingspan of 16.97 m, a maximum takeoff weight of 6,400 kg, a maximum speed of 490 km/h, a practical range of 2,445 km, and could carry 19 passengers or over 2,600 kg of cargo.

Many experts considered the Do.228 the best among its “peers.” However, it was also the most expensive, which naturally affected sales. In total, 245 aircraft were built at the plant in Oberpfaffenhofen. Moving production to the Indian HAL plant in Kanpur, where another 125 units were built, allowed for a slight reduction in price.

After the creation of the Do.228, Dornier underwent a series of reorganizations and mergers with other manufacturers. Consequently, the aircraft’s production and development took place under the “banners” of various companies. Nine basic variants and their numerous modifications were created, including, in addition to passenger versions for domestic airlines, cargo-passenger models and several special variants, notably those designed for maritime patrol. In 2009, the new-generation Do.228NG aircraft made its maiden flight, featuring digital avionics and a modernized powerplant with five-bladed propellers. Final assembly of the aircraft resumed in Oberpfaffenhofen, while large components, including the wing, were supplied from Kanpur by the HAL group. Production of several variants of the Do.228 continues at a modest pace, and since 2020, the rights to it have been held by the American company AeroTec Systems.

Despite the relatively small number of aircraft produced, the Do.228 has become popular worldwide. Aircraft from this family have been purchased by civil and military operators in nearly 40 countries, including Angola, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, Guyana, India, Canada, the Maldives, Mexico, Germany, Nepal, Norway, the United States, Chile, and Japan.