Maiden engine relight test of Tejas successful | Project shrouded in secrecy since Antony's rap

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas successfully completed the maiden engine relight test on Friday -- a critical parameter the programme needs to achieve for the Initial Operational Clarence (IOC-2). Military sources confirmed to Express that the Limited Series Production (LSP-7) aircraft from the Tejas flight-line, piloted by Gp Capt R R Tyagi, underwent the engine relight test at 1 pm. The LSP-7 was chased by a Hawk aircraft.
“It's a great milestone for a single-engine fighter aircraft. The relight test is the second most critical event for a fighter jet programme, after its maiden flight. The pilot took the flight to a height of 30,000 feet before the relight test, which was performed over the skies of Kolar region,” a source said.
(During Friday's test, the pilot is said to have brought the throttle down to zero for a few seconds, so that the aircraft lose power. The pilot pulled the throttle again, confirming the relight process. Engine relight is done to check the aircraft's performance in an emergency situation.)
Ever since the rap by Defence Minister A K Antony recenlty, who asked both the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), to complete the IOC-2 formalities at the earliest, the project has been shrouded in secrecy. As reported by Express earlier, HAL has even put restrictions in sharing photos of Tejas to its stakeholders and media.
A senior airworthiness officials said that project is now slowly, but steadily completing the IOC-2 parameters. “The relight test will give tremendous boost to the programme. So far Tejas has logged over 2330 flights cloaking around 1,350 hours. There are issues on both sides (DRDO & HAL), but in the interest of the programme hope everything will get sorted out soon. It's high time we finish IOC-2 and get on with the FOC (Final Operational Clearance) formalities,” the official, said.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

'Bath' puraani hai! A spot-on-shower for Tejas Test pilots after maiden sky-party

The combo of photos show a Tejas Test pilot being given a shower at HAL's military airbase in Bangalore, soon after landing after test-flying a new platform. Photo: HAL

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: It happens only in Bengaluru! A cold shower next to the tarmac the moment a fighter pilot steps out of the cockpit! Sounds strange and weared? Well, ask any Test pilot flying India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and he would say: “Cool Dude! I'm loving it.” For the last 11 years, ever since Tejas first took to the skies, pilots have been given a must-shower on arrival. Condition: It has to be a maiden flight. Forecast: One balti-blast. Warning: Spare overall must.
The latest pilot to stand the 'test of waters' was Gp Capt K K Venugopal, when he successfully took the Limited Series Production (LSP-7) aircraft of Tejas for a 28-minute sky-test on March 9. On landing and stepping out of the cockpit, the elated engineers and technicians of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) removed his helmet only to be given the customary bath. When Express chased the story behind the shower, sources said that it was a tradition set by HAL to ring in good luck.
“When you do a solo for the first time, a bottle of champagne used to be sprayed on the pilot at times. In HAL, a balti (bucket) of water became the norm and now we are prepared every time we do a maiden flight,” sources said. HAL officials say a 'spot-on-shower' for the pilots brings good luck. “It weeds away the bad evil and it's our way of welcoming the pilot who would have undergone severe stress and strain, flying a new fighter for the first time,” sources said.
Former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal (Retd) F H Major said that he wasn't sure why such a tradition existed in HAL. “As far as I know, it is definitely not an Indian Air Force tradition. Well, difficult to trace the origin and God knows why it is done,” Major said.
While the Test pilots in Bangalore can't escape the surprise shower every time they land after a maiden flight, there's a an interesting custom being practiced at the airport. Every new airline landing at the Bangalore International Airport (BIA) is welcomed by a water arch. “It is a tradition world over and we are first one to do it in India. The aircraft goes through an arch created by fire tenders positioned at both sides of the runway,” BIAL President Hari Marar tells Express.
But, BIAL spares the pilot and passengers from the shower. Though, it would have been an innovative and welcome idea during this Summer!

Copyright@The New Indian Express

Tejas LSP-7 in first flight strike zone | FRRB clears the platform after 2nd HSTT | Sky party any time now

 Tejas LSP-7 undergoes final tests at HAL Airport in Bangalore.

THE BREAKING NEWS!

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: The first flight of the limited series production (LSP-7) version of India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is in a striking distance. Sources confirm to Express that the LSP-7 performed the crucial High-Speed Taxi Trial (HSTT) on Thursday in a nose-wheel-lift mode at about 260 kmph. A data analysis de-brief is scheduled on Friday (March 9) to check various parameters of the aircraft during the HSTT, which was the second one for LSP-7.
“If the results are absolutely encouraging, then we would have the first flight any time. The Flight Readiness Review Board has already cleared the aircraft for its maiden moment in the sky,” sources said. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) officials at Old Bangalore Airport too confirmed that the activities relating to LSP-7 have reached a critical stage with all safety precautions put on an any-time-ready mode.
On Thursday, Grp Capt Venugopal of the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC) did the HSTT, which is a pointer that he might be the chosen one to take LSP-7 for the first flight. “It is a positive step to see more platforms joining the flight-line. We need more of them so that we can divide our tasks and put the programme on a faster pace,” a source with the Aircraft System Testing Establishment of the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.
The IAF pilots from ASTE would finally begin the evaluation once the LSP-7 is ready. “The Standard of Preparation (SOP) of this aircraft is made for user evaluation trials for both flight as well as maintenance, which is the same as the SOP of the production variant. Intensified campaign of flight trials is going on for demonstrating the performance of sensors and armaments,” HAL sources said.
With LSP-7, the 12th aircraft from the project flight-line would join the Tejas party with another (LSP-8) scheduled to be rolled out in future. Express had reported earlier about a fuel leak on LSP-7, which forced the Aeronautical Development Agency(ADA)-HAL combo to ground the entire fleet. This had pushed the programme further behind the schedule by four-five months -- the time taken by designers and engineers in re-arranging the butting of fuel and hydraulic pipes to prevent them from coming in contact.

(Copyright@The New Indian Express)

SKY TEST: Tejas LSP-7 all set for first flight; fuel leak plugged, user trials soon

Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

BANGALORE: Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots will officially get a taste of home-grown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas with the 12th aircraft from the project flight-line and the seventh from the limited series production (LSP-7) block set to kiss the skies soon. Sources told Express that the crucial engine ground run (EGR) was over and the fighter was now being put on low-speed taxi trials (LSTT). “We will do the LSTT before October 24 and the high-speed taxi trials (HSTT) after that. Finally, we will do the nose-up trial leading to the first flight,” sources said. The aircraft is expected to do the LSTT at 150 kmph and the HSTT at 250 kmph.

Though the LSP-7 was scheduled to fly in August, the project hit an air pocket when fuel leak was noticed in one of the aircraft during taxiing. “We had to ground the entire Tejas fleet as safety was our top-most priority. We lost the months of May, June, July and August with not much of testing happening,” sources said.

(Full story in Expressbuzz)

Tracking the Tejas: LSP-5 gearing-up for first flight; lit cockpit for night flying & new com set onboard; will fly on autopilot mode for first time

LCA LSP-4 during the June 2, 2010 maiden flight. LSP-5 is now gearing up for first flight. Photo: DRDO
| By Anantha Krishnan M. | AVIATION WEEK |

Bangalore |  India | October 28, 2010 |

India’s fifth limited-series production (LSP-5) Tejas Light Combat Aircraft is ready for its first flight.

Indian sources confirm to AVIATION WEEK that a flight readiness review meeting was held recently and the LSP-5 will fly “soon,” weather permitting. LSP-4 had its first flight in June. 

“Two more high-speed taxi trials are remaining and after that we will be ready for the first flight,” says a senior official associated with the program. “It will have internal cockpit lighting for enabling night flying, with all corrections being done. We are also testing a new communication set, similar to that on the Dhruv chopper. This would again ensure commonality of inventory in the country.”

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CEMILAC set to complete Tejas' certification by Dec 27; it will signal the start of a key phase, ADA chief P.S. tells BDAJF

| By Anantha Krishnan M. | AVIATION WEEK |

Bangalore |  India | September 14, 2010 |

India has set a Dec. 27 deadline to complete the certification process for its Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)

According to P.S. Subramanyam, director for combat aircraft at the Aeronautical Development Agency, the deadline was set to make sure Tejas enters its much-awaited initial operational clearance phase. The certification process is monitored by the Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification.

“We are at it, and close to 400 scientists and engineers are currently working on the certification program,” he says. “We need to consolidate all that we have done in the last 20 years and put it to the scrutiny of the certification agency. We have set ourselves a target to complete the certification process and December 27 will be a significant day for India’s military aviation program.”

Subramanyam spoke before a select group of defense correspondents during the official logo launch of the Bangalore Defense and Aerospace Journalists’ Forum.

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