Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Bangalore: A quarter of a century after the project was conceived and being dubbed “as more trouble than its worth”, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ on Wednesday proved the theory that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel, right.
The LCA, on the inaugural day of Aero India 2009, put up a flawless flight display and performed “neverseen- before” manoeuvres, which drew applause.
The take-off LCA from the Air Force Station Yelahanka tarmac was like any of 1,000-odd its has done since its maiden flight on January 4, 2001, but what was in store for the next 10 minutes showed the progress of not just the LCA project, but the indegenisation of India’s defence programme.The LCA showed the capability of the aircraft and put any doubts to rest.
After viewing its performance, an excited Defence Minister A K Antony praised the show put up by the all those involved in the project.
12/02/09 Hemanth CS/ExpressBuzz
The LCA, on the inaugural day of Aero India 2009, put up a flawless flight display and performed “neverseen- before” manoeuvres, which drew applause.
The take-off LCA from the Air Force Station Yelahanka tarmac was like any of 1,000-odd its has done since its maiden flight on January 4, 2001, but what was in store for the next 10 minutes showed the progress of not just the LCA project, but the indegenisation of India’s defence programme.The LCA showed the capability of the aircraft and put any doubts to rest.
After viewing its performance, an excited Defence Minister A K Antony praised the show put up by the all those involved in the project.
12/02/09 Hemanth CS/ExpressBuzz
Labels: Aero India 2009 Seminar, Defense, LCA, Tejas
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Bangalore: As executives in grey suits of global aerospace firms hard-sell their fighters on the ground for the world’s largest fighter tender by the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Aero India show here, it is their compatriots in G-suits—the pilots flying the machines—who could eventually swing a deal. G-suit is short for gravity suit that protects pilots from the effects of extreme acceleration while flying.
Like Ricardo Traven, the chief test pilot for the F/A-18.
He shoots the twin-engine fighter of Boeing Co. up into the sky, swivelling and making loops and manoeuvres, in an effort that could make or break a multi-billion dollar deal.
“It is kinda like...what I say, the air show will not sell the airplane, but not going to the air show will probably not result in a sale,” says Traven, a former US Navy test pilot with a record of at least 3,500 hours of flying, looking flushed in his G-suit.
“It is nice for pilots who will fly the planes, but for those standing (on the ground)...perhaps, senior military officials, (it is an opportunity for us) to explain what they get in the plane,” he says.
In the tender for the so-called medium multi-role combat aircraft or MMRCA, which is a deal worth at least Rs42,000 crore, six firms—Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co., European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS), Saab International, Dassault Aviation and Russia’s MiG Corp.—are aggressively pitching their fighters.
For the pilots, flying a fighter above Bangalore—a city at a mean sea level of nearly 900m—in the pre-summer heat can be tough.
With the higher temperature, a situation that fighter pilots call pressure altitude or an altitude the aircraft reacts and behaves as if it is at 5,000-6,000ft, not 3,000ft, making handling it a stretch for them.
So, the pilots who fly at the show prepare months in advance. First is to identify the type of aircraft that should be flown here, then comes the equipment and the logistics to fly the planes to the city.
At the show in Bangalore, the potential customer IAF’s pilots are given a test ride on the plane. The ride is just an initial exposure but a professional test pilot, especially a fighter pilot, can gather enough information from just one flight to judge the technical capabilities, says Traven.
An IAF test pilot, who has flown in American fighter planes, says that such rides help them to gain insights on systems such as electronic warfare equipment and radars, which normally is not in the brochure.
At the air show, the fighter planes on show are Russia’s MiG-35, Boeing’s F-18, EADS’ Eurofighter and Lockheed’s F-16.
Saab, the Swedish firm that makes the Gripen, and Dassault that manufactures the Rafael fighter, did not bring the planes, saying, they would be brought to India when test trials begin later this summer.
12/02/09 K. Raghu/Livemint
Like Ricardo Traven, the chief test pilot for the F/A-18.
He shoots the twin-engine fighter of Boeing Co. up into the sky, swivelling and making loops and manoeuvres, in an effort that could make or break a multi-billion dollar deal.
“It is kinda like...what I say, the air show will not sell the airplane, but not going to the air show will probably not result in a sale,” says Traven, a former US Navy test pilot with a record of at least 3,500 hours of flying, looking flushed in his G-suit.
“It is nice for pilots who will fly the planes, but for those standing (on the ground)...perhaps, senior military officials, (it is an opportunity for us) to explain what they get in the plane,” he says.
In the tender for the so-called medium multi-role combat aircraft or MMRCA, which is a deal worth at least Rs42,000 crore, six firms—Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co., European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS), Saab International, Dassault Aviation and Russia’s MiG Corp.—are aggressively pitching their fighters.
For the pilots, flying a fighter above Bangalore—a city at a mean sea level of nearly 900m—in the pre-summer heat can be tough.
With the higher temperature, a situation that fighter pilots call pressure altitude or an altitude the aircraft reacts and behaves as if it is at 5,000-6,000ft, not 3,000ft, making handling it a stretch for them.
So, the pilots who fly at the show prepare months in advance. First is to identify the type of aircraft that should be flown here, then comes the equipment and the logistics to fly the planes to the city.
At the show in Bangalore, the potential customer IAF’s pilots are given a test ride on the plane. The ride is just an initial exposure but a professional test pilot, especially a fighter pilot, can gather enough information from just one flight to judge the technical capabilities, says Traven.
An IAF test pilot, who has flown in American fighter planes, says that such rides help them to gain insights on systems such as electronic warfare equipment and radars, which normally is not in the brochure.
At the air show, the fighter planes on show are Russia’s MiG-35, Boeing’s F-18, EADS’ Eurofighter and Lockheed’s F-16.
Saab, the Swedish firm that makes the Gripen, and Dassault that manufactures the Rafael fighter, did not bring the planes, saying, they would be brought to India when test trials begin later this summer.
12/02/09 K. Raghu/Livemint
Labels: Aero India 2009 Seminar, Defense, Eurofighter, F16, F18, MiG-21, MiG-35, Russia, USA
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Paramaribo, Suriname: The Suriname government is buying three helicopters from India for its National Army, the Ministry of Defence here announced on Wednesday. Military sources indicate that the aircraft are mainly for transportation of army personnel, but if necessary they could also be used for combat activities.
During budget debates in parliament in January, Defence Minister, Ivan Fernald, had announced the decision of the government to purchase the military equipment but was relecutant to disclose details since negotiations with India were not yet completed. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will deliver the indigenously designed and developed advanced light helicopters (ALH) Dhruv.
The aircrafts will cost some 750 million rupees (US$15.3 million) and are being financed with a credit line from the Indian government.
Currently, Defence Minister Fernald accompanied by his permanent secretary Dennis Kamperveen and lieutenant-colonel Jerry Slijngaard, head of the National Coordination Center for Disaster Management (NCCR) is in India to sign the contracts. The officials will also attend the seventh edition of the international air show, Aero India 2009, which opened Thursday, February 11, in Bangalore and hold talks to advance the defence relations between Suriname and India. Minister Fernald and his Indian counterpart Arackaparambil Kurian Antony will also engage in bilateral talks.
12/02/09 Ivan Cairo/Caribbean Net News
During budget debates in parliament in January, Defence Minister, Ivan Fernald, had announced the decision of the government to purchase the military equipment but was relecutant to disclose details since negotiations with India were not yet completed. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will deliver the indigenously designed and developed advanced light helicopters (ALH) Dhruv.
The aircrafts will cost some 750 million rupees (US$15.3 million) and are being financed with a credit line from the Indian government.
Currently, Defence Minister Fernald accompanied by his permanent secretary Dennis Kamperveen and lieutenant-colonel Jerry Slijngaard, head of the National Coordination Center for Disaster Management (NCCR) is in India to sign the contracts. The officials will also attend the seventh edition of the international air show, Aero India 2009, which opened Thursday, February 11, in Bangalore and hold talks to advance the defence relations between Suriname and India. Minister Fernald and his Indian counterpart Arackaparambil Kurian Antony will also engage in bilateral talks.
12/02/09 Ivan Cairo/Caribbean Net News
Labels: Aero India 2009 Seminar, ALH, Defense, Dhruv, Suriname
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Bangalore: In order to cut "wasteful expenditure" and duplication of efforts, Chief of Air Staff F H Major on Monday sought creation of an apex body to coordinate and regulate aerospace industries.
India's economic upswing in the last two decades has resulted in substantial surge in aerospace industries in the country, the Air Chief Marshal said, adding "this is an encouraging sign".
However, as the aerospace industry is unregulated, "we run the risk of wasteful expenditure and duplication of efforts", the Air Chief Marshal said addressing a seminar conducted biennially along with Asia's biggest air show, Aero India 2009, which gets underway here on Wednesday.
"Therefore, there is a definite need for an effective apex agency to coordinate and regulate the activities of many organs that constitute our aerospace industry and to provide focus so that (there is) development of a coherent national aerospace capability", he said.
The Chief of Air Staff said India must identify core technologies to be developed, and aggressively design and manufacture them. Attempting to design and develop "every thing" is not cost-effective, he said.
National
09/02/09 PTI/The Hindu
India's economic upswing in the last two decades has resulted in substantial surge in aerospace industries in the country, the Air Chief Marshal said, adding "this is an encouraging sign".
However, as the aerospace industry is unregulated, "we run the risk of wasteful expenditure and duplication of efforts", the Air Chief Marshal said addressing a seminar conducted biennially along with Asia's biggest air show, Aero India 2009, which gets underway here on Wednesday.
"Therefore, there is a definite need for an effective apex agency to coordinate and regulate the activities of many organs that constitute our aerospace industry and to provide focus so that (there is) development of a coherent national aerospace capability", he said.
The Chief of Air Staff said India must identify core technologies to be developed, and aggressively design and manufacture them. Attempting to design and develop "every thing" is not cost-effective, he said.
National
09/02/09 PTI/The Hindu
Labels: Aero India 2009 Seminar
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Bangalore : The international Seminar, “Aerospace – perspectives and Trends in Technologies”, an important event for the scientific and Industrial community in India, was inaugurated in Bangalore today by Defence Minister Shri A.K Antony.
Speaking on the occasion said “Aerospace Industry is all set to take a quantum leap with the indigenous development of Light Combat Aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and various complex technologies. ISRO has done the nation proud by the perfectly engineered Mission to Moon. This Mission has catapulted India into a select and elite group of nations. We need to take these successes to an even higher level.”
"To achieve this objective we must make investments in Scientific Research and Development in aerospace. The current slowdown will not affect the Armed forces modernization plans. Our Defence planning has a two fold objective – modernization and indigenization. To achieve these objectives and to optimize transparency and fairness, the Indian Government came out with Offset Policy. The Policy is also aimed at enhancing our technical and manufacturing potential. It will help the collaborators to take advantage of the strengths of Indian Industry and R&D. The benefit from offset could be shared between public and private sector companies and it would encourage the growth of medium and small scale industries," he added.
Currently only 30% of the Defence requirement is met by domestic production. 70% is imported and this trend has to change fast. He promised all support to the DRDO labs to speed up the Design, Development and Delivery of products. Shri Antony appreciated the presence of Aeronautical Engineering students of various colleges at the seminar. Since youth hold the key to our future he suggested that they should be encouraged to interact with the professionals from across the globe.
“More than 850 participants have already registered for the seminar. 66 papers from 12 countries on various important aerospace topics are being presented in the seminar by experts” said Tamilmani, Chief Executive, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification.
The main theme of the Seminar in 2009 will be ‘Aerospace – perspectives and Trends in Technologies’. The theme and sub themes have been so coceptualised as to provide for extensive interaction and flow of information across communities of scientists, designers, manufacturers, users, operators and academia forging a strong alliance for furtherance of the cause of aerospace.
10/02/09 Arjun/Machinist.in
Speaking on the occasion said “Aerospace Industry is all set to take a quantum leap with the indigenous development of Light Combat Aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and various complex technologies. ISRO has done the nation proud by the perfectly engineered Mission to Moon. This Mission has catapulted India into a select and elite group of nations. We need to take these successes to an even higher level.”
"To achieve this objective we must make investments in Scientific Research and Development in aerospace. The current slowdown will not affect the Armed forces modernization plans. Our Defence planning has a two fold objective – modernization and indigenization. To achieve these objectives and to optimize transparency and fairness, the Indian Government came out with Offset Policy. The Policy is also aimed at enhancing our technical and manufacturing potential. It will help the collaborators to take advantage of the strengths of Indian Industry and R&D. The benefit from offset could be shared between public and private sector companies and it would encourage the growth of medium and small scale industries," he added.
Currently only 30% of the Defence requirement is met by domestic production. 70% is imported and this trend has to change fast. He promised all support to the DRDO labs to speed up the Design, Development and Delivery of products. Shri Antony appreciated the presence of Aeronautical Engineering students of various colleges at the seminar. Since youth hold the key to our future he suggested that they should be encouraged to interact with the professionals from across the globe.
“More than 850 participants have already registered for the seminar. 66 papers from 12 countries on various important aerospace topics are being presented in the seminar by experts” said Tamilmani, Chief Executive, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification.
The main theme of the Seminar in 2009 will be ‘Aerospace – perspectives and Trends in Technologies’. The theme and sub themes have been so coceptualised as to provide for extensive interaction and flow of information across communities of scientists, designers, manufacturers, users, operators and academia forging a strong alliance for furtherance of the cause of aerospace.
10/02/09 Arjun/Machinist.in
Labels: Aero India 2009 Seminar
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