Bengaluru, State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Friday conducted the spin testing of its basic trainer aircraft HTT-40 with controls in the aerospace hub of Bengaluru.
“Our test pilots Group Captain (retired) K.K. Venugopal and Group Captain (retired) S. Chakki flew the aircraft for the maiden spin testing at the military airport,” said the city-based defence behemoth in a statement.
The aircraft was tested to take two turn spins and subsequently recovering through controls.
A trainer aircraft is used to train the Indian Air Force pilots in flying at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, about 35km from Hyderabad in Telangana.
The spin testing gives a boost to HAL and its ability in designing a spin-worthy aircraft, the defence firm’s Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) R. Madhavan said in the statement.
Spin testing is a critical aspect of flight testing of any aircraft development programme.
HAL’s Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) had conducted wind tunnel testing and mathematical model analyses to arrive at the spin characteristics of the aircraft, the statement said.
“The study is put to test during the first few moments of spin testing,” it added.
According to HAL’s Engineering and Research and Development (R&D) director Arup Chatterjee, the test points were met and the spin completion is the last metric which needs to be accomplished before an aircraft enters service.
“HTT-40 exceeds the preliminary services qualitative requirements on most fronts and offers a technologically advanced product than its competitor,” the statement added.
The project, which began in August 2013 with internal funding, reached spin testing in five years.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the procurement of 70 basic trainer aircraft from HAL in 2015.
The production clearance for the HTT-40 is expected by this year-end, the statement added.
