Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Bangalore: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has orders to deliver 260 to 270 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), christened Dhruv, worth Rs 16,000 crore, its Chairman Ashok Baweja said on Thursday.
He told reporters at the Aero India 2009 that the Bangalore-headquartered defence PSU has an overall order book position in excess of Rs 50,000 crore.
The Union Cabinet has just approved HAL's Light Utility Helicopter project. This helicopter would be of three tonne class,he said.
HAL has bagged an order to deliver three Chetak helicopters to Surinam.
HAL would take up development of Light Combat Aircraft Mark II - which would be a new aircraft - once it delivers 40 units of LCA Mark I - eight limited series production, 20 fighters and 12 trainers.
12/02/09 PTI/Economic Times
He told reporters at the Aero India 2009 that the Bangalore-headquartered defence PSU has an overall order book position in excess of Rs 50,000 crore.
The Union Cabinet has just approved HAL's Light Utility Helicopter project. This helicopter would be of three tonne class,he said.
HAL has bagged an order to deliver three Chetak helicopters to Surinam.
HAL would take up development of Light Combat Aircraft Mark II - which would be a new aircraft - once it delivers 40 units of LCA Mark I - eight limited series production, 20 fighters and 12 trainers.
12/02/09 PTI/Economic Times
Labels: ALH, Defense, HAL, India
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New Delhi: India and Russia have decided to set up a 50:50 joint venture (JV) in the next few months to develop a multi-role transport aircraft at an estimated cost of USD 600 million.
Announcing this Thursday in India's southern city of Bangalore, President and Chairman of United Aircraft Corporation (of Russia) Alexey I. Fedorov said his country will soon identify the firm which would work along with Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to develop the aircraft.
"Within a few months, the joint venture will be in place," Indian wire agency United News of India (UNI) quoted him as saying.
The jointly developed transport aircraft would be inducted into the Russian and Indian Air Force, he said on the sidelines of the ongoing South Asia's biggest airshow in Bangalore "Aero India 2009."
12/02/09 Khabrein
Announcing this Thursday in India's southern city of Bangalore, President and Chairman of United Aircraft Corporation (of Russia) Alexey I. Fedorov said his country will soon identify the firm which would work along with Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to develop the aircraft.
"Within a few months, the joint venture will be in place," Indian wire agency United News of India (UNI) quoted him as saying.
The jointly developed transport aircraft would be inducted into the Russian and Indian Air Force, he said on the sidelines of the ongoing South Asia's biggest airshow in Bangalore "Aero India 2009."
12/02/09 Khabrein
Labels: Defense, HAL, India, Russia, Transport
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India plans to begin work on an upgraded version of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, with industry aiming to start deliveries of these "Mark II" aircraft after the first 40 have been manufactured.
"The LCA Mark 2 will have a bigger and more powerful engine, the fuselage will be changed, it will have bigger wings, and the aircraft will be more aerodynamic," says Hindustan Aeronautics chairman Ashok Baweja, whose company manufactures the fighter. "There are upgrades down the line in every global fighter programme and that is the case with the Tejas as well."
He adds that HAL will deliver 40 LCAs to the Indian Air Force in the Mark I configuration - 20 in the fighter configuration and 20 in the trainer configuration. The IAF is expected to eventually order up to 220 LCAs and the Indian navy another 20, and the remaining aircraft will be in the Mark II configuration.
A naval version of the LCA will fly within a year, although this version of the aircraft still faces numerous challenges, says Baweja.
The Tejas, which was developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency, has been in the works for more than a decade. It has faced several delays due to problems with the aircraft's design and the development of an indigenous engine. The IAF refused to commit to the LCA until 2003, and has only ordered 20 due to worries about the aircraft's capabilities.
12/02/09 Flight International
"The LCA Mark 2 will have a bigger and more powerful engine, the fuselage will be changed, it will have bigger wings, and the aircraft will be more aerodynamic," says Hindustan Aeronautics chairman Ashok Baweja, whose company manufactures the fighter. "There are upgrades down the line in every global fighter programme and that is the case with the Tejas as well."
He adds that HAL will deliver 40 LCAs to the Indian Air Force in the Mark I configuration - 20 in the fighter configuration and 20 in the trainer configuration. The IAF is expected to eventually order up to 220 LCAs and the Indian navy another 20, and the remaining aircraft will be in the Mark II configuration.
A naval version of the LCA will fly within a year, although this version of the aircraft still faces numerous challenges, says Baweja.
The Tejas, which was developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency, has been in the works for more than a decade. It has faced several delays due to problems with the aircraft's design and the development of an indigenous engine. The IAF refused to commit to the LCA until 2003, and has only ordered 20 due to worries about the aircraft's capabilities.
12/02/09 Flight International
Labels: Defense, HAL, India, LCA
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Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will display the export version of the indigenously designed and developed advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv for the first time at the seventh edition of the international air show, Aero India 2009, starting here on February 11.
“This is for the first time that the export version of the ALH will be on display,” secretary (defence production) Pradeep Kumar told reporters, here today. The exhibition of the export version of the ALH at Aero India 2009 is significant with the public sector undertaking HAL set to to export five helicopters to Ecuador. “The deal has been finalised to export five Dhruv helicopters to Ecuador and the air chief of the Ecuador air force will be here for the airshow to collect the keys,” Kumar said.
However, he added that Afghanistan and Malaysia, which had earlier shown interest in the flagship helicopter of the HAL, had not made any export request. “We are in talks with Mauritious and Suriname for the export orders,” Kumar added. Besides there will also be many firsts to the seventh edition of the air show. Following the success of India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has also opened a pavilion at the air show.
11/02/09 Business Standard
“This is for the first time that the export version of the ALH will be on display,” secretary (defence production) Pradeep Kumar told reporters, here today. The exhibition of the export version of the ALH at Aero India 2009 is significant with the public sector undertaking HAL set to to export five helicopters to Ecuador. “The deal has been finalised to export five Dhruv helicopters to Ecuador and the air chief of the Ecuador air force will be here for the airshow to collect the keys,” Kumar said.
However, he added that Afghanistan and Malaysia, which had earlier shown interest in the flagship helicopter of the HAL, had not made any export request. “We are in talks with Mauritious and Suriname for the export orders,” Kumar added. Besides there will also be many firsts to the seventh edition of the air show. Following the success of India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has also opened a pavilion at the air show.
11/02/09 Business Standard
Labels: Defense, Dhruv, HAL, India
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The defence ministry has asked its star firm to pull out a trainer aircraft from Aero India 2009 because it is not sure the plane can fly.
The Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) is being produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore since March 1999. It is supposed to replace the ageing Kiran aircraft that is flown by cadets training to be fighter pilots. The Indian Air Force was scheduled to have received 150 IJTs from HAL in 2005-06.
“They are not going to fly the IJT this year,” defence production secretary Pradeep Kumar said. “HAL wants to be sure about it being ready to fly.”
The IJT was a major embarrassment for the defence ministry — the host of the show in which all global aviation majors participate — in Aero India 2007 when HAL’s chief test (fixed wing) pilot squadron leader, Baldev Singh, who was taxiing out for a demo, suddenly felt the aircraft give away under him. The plane keeled over on a wing.
Singh was again in the IJT just last Saturday, with test pilot Wing Commander C. Subramaniam, when the plane they had flown on a routine sortie suddenly sat down on its belly at Yelahanka air force base — the venue of Aero India — after landing.
The IJT project has overshot all cost and time lines. It is being refitted with a Russian AL 551 engine. The aircraft had its maiden flight in March 2003 but has not got an initial operational clearance yet.
10/02/09 Sujan Dutta/The Telegraph
The Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) is being produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore since March 1999. It is supposed to replace the ageing Kiran aircraft that is flown by cadets training to be fighter pilots. The Indian Air Force was scheduled to have received 150 IJTs from HAL in 2005-06.
“They are not going to fly the IJT this year,” defence production secretary Pradeep Kumar said. “HAL wants to be sure about it being ready to fly.”
The IJT was a major embarrassment for the defence ministry — the host of the show in which all global aviation majors participate — in Aero India 2007 when HAL’s chief test (fixed wing) pilot squadron leader, Baldev Singh, who was taxiing out for a demo, suddenly felt the aircraft give away under him. The plane keeled over on a wing.
Singh was again in the IJT just last Saturday, with test pilot Wing Commander C. Subramaniam, when the plane they had flown on a routine sortie suddenly sat down on its belly at Yelahanka air force base — the venue of Aero India — after landing.
The IJT project has overshot all cost and time lines. It is being refitted with a Russian AL 551 engine. The aircraft had its maiden flight in March 2003 but has not got an initial operational clearance yet.
10/02/09 Sujan Dutta/The Telegraph
Labels: Defense, HAL, IJT, India
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Bangalore: In a setback to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) programme, the Prototype Trainer Two (PT2), landed on its belly at the HAL airport here on Wednesday evening after a routine aerobatic sortie. The programme is already delayed by four years,
The sortie was undertaken as part of the preparations for the next week’s “Aero India 2009” air show here.
The aircraft was piloted by HAL’s Executive Director - Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing) Squadron Leader Baldev Singh (retd.) and Wing Commander C. Subramaniam, an Indian Air Force fighter pilot on deputation to HAL.
Eyewitnesses said the aircraft appeared to do a normal touch-down, rolled and then the wheels started retracting, forcing it to land on its belly.
Initial indications are that the landing speed of the aircraft could have been a shade too fast, prompting the pilots to try and retract the undercarriage, and do a touch and go as the aircraft was likely to overshoot the runway.
There were suggestions that one of the tyres could have burst during landing, resulting in brake failure. A court of inquiry, headed by Benji Mammen, HAL’s Chief of Project, Light Combat Aircraft, has been set up to look into the incident.
There was structural damage to the undercarriage and belly, the doors and one of the wing tips.
HAL’s only chance of showcasing the IJT at the air show now rests on PT1, the prototype that suffered a crash in February 2007 (during Aero India 2007) when the canopy opened just before take-off.
06/02/09 Ravi Sharma/The Hindu
The sortie was undertaken as part of the preparations for the next week’s “Aero India 2009” air show here.
The aircraft was piloted by HAL’s Executive Director - Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing) Squadron Leader Baldev Singh (retd.) and Wing Commander C. Subramaniam, an Indian Air Force fighter pilot on deputation to HAL.
Eyewitnesses said the aircraft appeared to do a normal touch-down, rolled and then the wheels started retracting, forcing it to land on its belly.
Initial indications are that the landing speed of the aircraft could have been a shade too fast, prompting the pilots to try and retract the undercarriage, and do a touch and go as the aircraft was likely to overshoot the runway.
There were suggestions that one of the tyres could have burst during landing, resulting in brake failure. A court of inquiry, headed by Benji Mammen, HAL’s Chief of Project, Light Combat Aircraft, has been set up to look into the incident.
There was structural damage to the undercarriage and belly, the doors and one of the wing tips.
HAL’s only chance of showcasing the IJT at the air show now rests on PT1, the prototype that suffered a crash in February 2007 (during Aero India 2007) when the canopy opened just before take-off.
06/02/09 Ravi Sharma/The Hindu
Labels: Defense, HAL, Incidents and Accidents, India
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