Bengaluru: For state-owned aircraft marker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the 20-year-old Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) project still remains a major challenge, especially after the Indian Air Force (IAF) walked out of the project citing delays and design flaws. But the Bengaluru-headquartered defence PSU has not given up. After flying the aircraft after a gap of three years, HAL is now confident of going back to the IAF with a better product to train its fighter pilots.
Given the delays and failure to clear spin tests -- which is a critical feature in a jet trainer -- the IAF had told HAL to junk the project. “During the meeting in 2018, the IAF told us to close the project. However, I had promised them of flying the aircraft in April after completing all modifications required to take up the spin tests,” Arup Chatterjee, Director, Engineering and R&D at HAL Design Complex in Bengaluru, told The New Sunday Express. “We flew the aircraft in April. We have taken it as a challenge and are confident of completing all tests by April 2020 and after that we will again go back to the IAF,” he said.
They plan to start spin tests in October this year and it will go on for six months. To take up the tests, the HAL has completely modified one of the 12 aircraft that are manufactured after the IAF had given a go-ahead for Limited Series Production. The modification of second aircraft is under way at HAL Bengaluru complex.
The project to design and develop an intermediate jet trainer in India was started way back in 1999 when the Cabinet Committee on Security sanctioned Rs 180 crore (for two prototypes and certification process) and the project got more funds subsequently. It started off well and the first flight took to the skies on March 7, 2003.
02/06/19 Ramu Patil/New Indian Express
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Given the delays and failure to clear spin tests -- which is a critical feature in a jet trainer -- the IAF had told HAL to junk the project. “During the meeting in 2018, the IAF told us to close the project. However, I had promised them of flying the aircraft in April after completing all modifications required to take up the spin tests,” Arup Chatterjee, Director, Engineering and R&D at HAL Design Complex in Bengaluru, told The New Sunday Express. “We flew the aircraft in April. We have taken it as a challenge and are confident of completing all tests by April 2020 and after that we will again go back to the IAF,” he said.
They plan to start spin tests in October this year and it will go on for six months. To take up the tests, the HAL has completely modified one of the 12 aircraft that are manufactured after the IAF had given a go-ahead for Limited Series Production. The modification of second aircraft is under way at HAL Bengaluru complex.
The project to design and develop an intermediate jet trainer in India was started way back in 1999 when the Cabinet Committee on Security sanctioned Rs 180 crore (for two prototypes and certification process) and the project got more funds subsequently. It started off well and the first flight took to the skies on March 7, 2003.
02/06/19 Ramu Patil/New Indian Express
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