Yet another milestone for LCA
Ravi Sharma
Trial key precursor to aircraft's maiden flight
Bangalore: The Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA's) prestigious but delayed Light Combat Aircraft programme crossed another important milestone on Saturday with the first of the limited series production (LSP-1) aircraft successfully undertaking its low speed taxi trial.
The test will gladden the hearts of the LCA's end user - the Indian Air Force (IAF) - since the LSP aircraft are that much closer technically to the IAF's `SOP' (standard of production) requirements.
The low speed taxi trial which follows the completion of equally successful ground runs, is a key precursor to the aircraft's maiden flight, which engineers say could happen within a month. "All that is now left before the maiden flight is the clearance from the Safety Test Review Board and two high speed taxi trials."
Though the eight LSP aircraft, along with the two technical demonstrators (TDs) and five prototypes vehicles (PVs), are part of the LCA's flight test programme, they are just a step away from the actual series production aircraft which will fly in the IAF's combat squadrons. The LSP-1 is also the first LCA to be manufactured by the Aircraft Division of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The LCA project got a boost in recent months with the IAF (that has placed an order for 20 aircraft worth approximately Rs. 2000 crore) steering the programme, engaging with both the design agency (ADA) and the manufacturing agency (HAL), and driving the certification process. The IAF's commitment was also evident when it selected the recently appointed Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal N.Anil Kumar Browne to head the LCA Review Group.
The IAF has decided to support the programme by posting a 14-member LCA Project Management Team to Bangalore that will be led by an Air Vice Marshal. The team, which will report directly to Air Head Quarters and have officers from the electronics, flying and mechanical branches, will according to sources "drive every aspect of the LCA programme to ensure that the LCA matures quickly into an operational platform".
However, according to sources the IAF has also made it clear to ADA and HAL that it will accept "nothing short of what it has contracted for." Among the critical areas that the IAF wants accelerated progress on are the digital flight control computer, the flight control system software, design changes to reduce the noise levels in the aircraft, availability of adequate number of line replacement units (to reduce cannibalising of spares between the existing aircraft), a lessening of the mean time between failures, and fitting of drop tanks. The LCA is probably the only programme where even after 638 sorties the drop tanks are yet to be fitted on the aircraft.
Ravi Sharma
Trial key precursor to aircraft's maiden flight
Bangalore: The Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA's) prestigious but delayed Light Combat Aircraft programme crossed another important milestone on Saturday with the first of the limited series production (LSP-1) aircraft successfully undertaking its low speed taxi trial.
The test will gladden the hearts of the LCA's end user - the Indian Air Force (IAF) - since the LSP aircraft are that much closer technically to the IAF's `SOP' (standard of production) requirements.
The low speed taxi trial which follows the completion of equally successful ground runs, is a key precursor to the aircraft's maiden flight, which engineers say could happen within a month. "All that is now left before the maiden flight is the clearance from the Safety Test Review Board and two high speed taxi trials."
Though the eight LSP aircraft, along with the two technical demonstrators (TDs) and five prototypes vehicles (PVs), are part of the LCA's flight test programme, they are just a step away from the actual series production aircraft which will fly in the IAF's combat squadrons. The LSP-1 is also the first LCA to be manufactured by the Aircraft Division of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The LCA project got a boost in recent months with the IAF (that has placed an order for 20 aircraft worth approximately Rs. 2000 crore) steering the programme, engaging with both the design agency (ADA) and the manufacturing agency (HAL), and driving the certification process. The IAF's commitment was also evident when it selected the recently appointed Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal N.Anil Kumar Browne to head the LCA Review Group.
The IAF has decided to support the programme by posting a 14-member LCA Project Management Team to Bangalore that will be led by an Air Vice Marshal. The team, which will report directly to Air Head Quarters and have officers from the electronics, flying and mechanical branches, will according to sources "drive every aspect of the LCA programme to ensure that the LCA matures quickly into an operational platform".
However, according to sources the IAF has also made it clear to ADA and HAL that it will accept "nothing short of what it has contracted for." Among the critical areas that the IAF wants accelerated progress on are the digital flight control computer, the flight control system software, design changes to reduce the noise levels in the aircraft, availability of adequate number of line replacement units (to reduce cannibalising of spares between the existing aircraft), a lessening of the mean time between failures, and fitting of drop tanks. The LCA is probably the only programme where even after 638 sorties the drop tanks are yet to be fitted on the aircraft.
