HAL's struggle with IJT continues; hopes to get IOC in six months; LSP-5 begins test flights

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is struggling with its pet Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) project, almost 10 years after the first prototype had its maiden flight. Sources confirm to Express that, engineers and designers at HAL's Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) are having the daunting task of identifying and correcting the inherent asymmetry of the aircraft. HAL hopes to get the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) for IJT by the end of December, a deadline according to insiders, might get pushed to next year.
“The issues of the aircraft have been reported by the pilots during the ongoing tests and also endorsed by BAE Systems. This is coming in a large way for the ongoing stall and spin trials. Pilots had tried their best but the aircraft rolls around 16 degrees thereby forcing them to abort the stall tests,” a source said. HAL had hired BAE Systems to act as consultants to evaluate IJT's stall and spin tests.
While HAL officially refused to give any project update on IJT, saying “there isn't much to share,” sources say that the aircraft is scheduled to undertake crosswind trials at Jamnagar and cold weather trials at Srinagar. “The IOC declaration might happen after these trials. One aircraft is likely to perform the stall and spin permutation and combination exercises parallely, to save time. The designers are even trying wing dressing so as to provide with the best stall experience. So far, all the prototypes coming out are having inherent asymmetry problems,” the official said.
The IJT, which was tipped to reap maximum benefits from HAL's involvement in the Tejas project, lost its flightpath completely in the last seven years following a spate of crashes and management issues. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been waiting patiently for the IJTs with the hope of filling the gaps in its training format. HAL is committed to deliver 12 limited series production (LSP) aircraft to IAF and later 73 series production (SP) planes – the deadlines all looking messier now. Sources said that IJT's LSP-5 aircraft had it's maiden flight during the last week of September this year, with a rolling off problem being reported on day one. However, the test flights of LSP-5 are currently on track, sources said. Copyright@The New Indian Express

HAL in a fix as PESB hunts for 'jinxed' director's post again

A part of the advertisement called by PESB recently. This was taken from the PESB website.

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is in a fix over the 'jinxed' post of its Director Corporate Planning and Marketing, which fell vacant in October 2011. The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), mandated with the job of short-listing directors, is making a second attempt to find a suitable man for this crucial post. The PESB had earlier shortlisted a senior HAL official for the post, only to be informed later that the man was on the radar of the vigilance wing.
A circular issued by Vedantam Giri, PESB's director, Department of Personnel and Training, had set April 22, 2013, as the last date for aspirants to apply. “Advance action may be taken to keep the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for last five years, of those candidates ready along with their latest vigilance profile (penality imposed and details of disciplinary actions, if any) to be furnished as an when the selection meeting is scheduled,” says the circular.
The marketing head's post, currently given as an additional charge to another director, was last occupied by Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh, who was found hanging from a tree on the way to Nandi Hills, a popular tourist spot near Bangalore. Subsequent police investigations concluded that Baldy, as he was popularly called, committed suicide. An ace Test pilot, Baldy was spearheading the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) project in HAL, until he was selected for the director's post. HAL has kept the IJT project under wraps since then with no details being given out to the media or on its public domains.
“Under the restructuring plans of HAL, following the recommendations made by the Chaturvedi Committee, the total number of directors are likely to be trimmed, and some key posts merged. Even the helicopter complex is without a director now and the charge has been given to another man. All these will affect the overall production performance of the company in the long run. These are government decisions and we have to abide by it,” a planning department officer said.
NO COMMENTS: Interestingly, a set of five questions emailed to HAL's head R K Tyagi's office seeking reasons for the inordinate delay in appointing a new man as marketing director, evoked no response. HAL's PRO Gopal S told Express over the phone that the company does not wish to respond. When quizzed about the reasons for not giving HAL's version officially, the PRO had no answers. Insiders say that to avoid further controversies, an absolute media gag is in place, now.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

CEMILAC boss bats for an integrated national project for aero-engines

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: India's attempts towards achieving self-reliance in aeronautics is only possible if an autonomous body is formed to design, develop, test and produce aero-engines. Batting for such an initiative is K Tamilmani, Chief Executive, Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) – a DRDO facility in Bangalore. Speaking to Express, he said that India can claim to be an aerospace nation only  through an amalgamation of the competence available in private and government sectors.
“Today rough estimates say that 4000 engines are needed for Advanced Light Helicopters and 500 engines for Intermediate Jet Trainers. These are low-thrust engines of 25 KN (Kilo Newtons. For engines we need material technology which are not critical and can be internally-outsourced. You need engines for 180 Light Combat Helicopters, 187 Light Utility Helicopters and many more. The marriage between R&D and the industry to meet the requirements is not happening,”  Tamilmani said.
Sighting that the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has around 1000 technical people with expertise and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's (HAL) Engine Division around 400-plus engineers, Tamilmani felt that their strengths need to be shared. “We have demonstrated our might by developing jet fuels starters, which starts the engine. We have also developed pilot-less target aircraft (PTA) engine for Lakshya. There are five engine test-beds with GTRE, while the Engine Division too has got the same facility. If the two teams are put together, then we will have doable targets,” he said.
Justifying his views, the airworthiness expert said that with every engine that is imported, India will have to depend upon others for its maintenance and overhaul support. “We have now L&T, Godrej, MTR (Hyderabad) and other private companies supporting India's missile (including BrahMos) and Indian Space Research Organisation programmes. If we start the process of unifying our expertise, we can reduce our dependency on others,” Tamilmani said.
He said India can never declare self-reliance in aeronautics without having state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, quality assurance and quality production of international standards. “We have not integrated our R&D and appropriate man power is not getting trained for induction. Some of the futuristic cruise missiles also requires engines. India has the capacity, teams, technology, demand and industry. We need to integrate them to be in the race,” Tamilmani said.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

Sing is King! Baldy crowned HAL’s marketing boss

The fixed wing clan of HAL is sure to miss the soft-spoken Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh (Baldy) in flying overalls, after he was formally crowned as the Company’s new marketing head. Baldy too will miss his undying tryst with the throttle. An HAL release says that he took over as the new Director Corporate Planning & Marketing on August 16 – to be seated at its HQ on Bangalore’s famous Cubbon Road – now defaced by the metro rail work. Baldy was Executive Director Flight Operations and the Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing), prior to the new assignment.

While the IJT-related incidents might have dented the spirit of Baldy and his team, insiders say that he has often kept himself out of the race from director-level opportunities in the past. “He was very much involved with the flying activities be it the IJT or Hawk. And, there could be other reasons, only he would know as to why he chose to stay away from holding top posts. Now, with him being appointed as the Director, he is sure to miss flying,” sources said. Baldy’s first task would be to chart a new flight-path for HAL’s marketing and corporate planning wings. With HAL sitting on a pile of projects, corporate planning becomes a vital cog in the wheel. He will also have to deal with an extremely mediocre head in Nayak, whose term will finally end on October 31 this year – a keenly awaited day by many in the Company. With defence minister Antony making a statement in the floor of the Parliament that the IAF is not trying to take control of HAL, it is now certain that a civilian is sure to take charge, try and save the sinking fortunes of the Company. By the time, hopefully Baldy would have got a grip on his men and machines!

THE MAN: Sqn Ldr Baldev Singh did early schooling in Bangalore at St. Joseph European High School and later joined St. Joseph College. He joined the National Defence Academy in 1970 and graduated from the academy in December 1972 and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in June 1973 as a fighter pilot. After doing operational flying on Hunter, Mig-21 and Mig-23 aircraft, he qualified as a Flight Instructor in July 1983, and was posted to Air Force Academy at Hyderabad for Instructional Flying Duties on the Kiran Aircraft. In 1984 he did his experimental test pilots course and was deputed to HAL in 1986. He retired from the Indian Air Force in 1989 and joined HAL. He was involved with the LCA Programme from 1990 onwards and was deputed to the Aeronautical Development Agency for this purpose. On the LCA programme he worked extensively on the development and flight testing of the flight control laws of the Light Combat aircraft. He carried out the flight evaluation of these flight control laws at the Real Time simulator at BAE Wharton in UK followed by the flight evaluation of these control laws on the F-16, Lear Jet and NT-33 aircraft in USA. He holds a diploma in Aviation Flight Safety from the Naval Post Graduate College, Monterey Bay, California, USA. He has extensive test flying experience on five prototype programmes and carried out the first flights of the HANSA aircraft and the Intermediate Jet Trainer. He has a Total Flight Test Experience of over 6000 hrs on over 55 different types of aircraft. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and holds a diploma in Aviation Flight Safety from the Naval Post Graduate College, Monterey Bay, California, USA.