angeldemon_007
SENIOR MEMBER
- Nov 29, 2010
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That the frequency of Indian combat aircraft crashes is galling would be a bit like calling the Taj Mahal a nice hut. The Indian air force (IAF) is now rebuilding its training regime to finally cure the long-running problems that have attrited men and machines.
It is not the first time the issue is being confronted, but the efforts now being put in place are noteworthy for their breadth. While pushing for new aircraft, the Indian air force has changed its training environment, established new guidelines for combat training and begun to resuscitate its grounded trainer fleet.
At a recent industry event to discuss modernization initiatives, Air Chief Marshall Normal Browne, head of the air force, acknowledged that training is a big concern for us. His first week in office saw two fighters crash.
Fleet modernization is a key ingredient. Browne hopes the $610 million contract for 75 new primary trainer aircraft will be signed soon. In July this year, Pilatus emerged as the lowest bidder with its PC-7 offer. A letter from Korean Aerospace Industries questioning the decision was rejected by the IAF.
The final lap had been fought among the PC-7, Korean KT-1 and Hawker-Beechcraft T-6C Texan-II, the latter having emerged on top in field evaluation trials. Contenders eliminated in the first downselect are Grobs G-120TP, Alenia Aerammachi and the Yak-52 built by Romanian firm Aerostar.
Browne notes that at the moment we dont have a basic trainer. Our case for new trainers is with the government and we hope to get it cleared so that we can sign the contract by October, and [get]the new trainer by 2013. Then we can start the new course.
Under tremendous pressure to reduce the accident rate, the air force has decided that the flying course currently in session at its academy in South India, will be the last in which flight cadets will fly MiG-21 trainers. When their course ends in December next year, lead-in and fighter training will rest fully on the new Hawk 132 advanced jet trainer fleet.
We had to do this [use MiG-21s for lead-in training] because there were no other aircraft available. If the Hawk had come two years before as planned, MiG-21s would have been kept for the experienced pilots, the IAF chief says. The decision will be a political relief for the government, too, which has been constantly under fire from parliament over flight safety and the deaths of young pilots on routine training sorties.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. also has agreed to speed up development and delivery of its HTT-40 trainer to meet a requirement of 106 aircraft. At a meeting between the top brass of HAL and the IAF earlier this year, the air force asked HAL to do whatever it takes to ensure it does not deliver an aircraft as accident-prone and risky to fly as the HPT-32 Deepak, the companys previous trainer effort. The HPT-32 fleet has beengrounded since August 2009 following a crash that killed its trainee pilot.
The troubled fleet was also flagged by the countrys national auditor as technologically outdated and beset by flight safety hazards in a report criticizing modernization delays. Most HPT-32 accidents have been put down to issues with how the Lycoming AEO-540-D4B5 engine was mated to the platform.
Earlier this month, Defense Minister A.K. Antony told the Indian parliament that the HPT-32 fleet was undergoing modifications that would get the aircraft flying by next year. In order to improve the reliability of the engine, HAL is implementing certain modifications on the engine and airframe including integrating a system called aircraft parachute recovery system, the minister said. In September 2010, HAL awarded a contract to Minnesota-based BRS Aerospace, to equip its HPT-32s with ballistic parachute recovery systems.
In the absence of a primary trainer, the IAF has had to resort to a somewhat ad-hoc training regimen involving the complete absence of Stage-1 training, instead starting its trainee pilots on the intermediate HJT-16 Kiran jet, also due for retirement soon. Its replacement, HALs HJT-36 Sitara Stage-2 trainer, aims for initial operational clearance by year-end. That could be delayed due to a prototype crash in April during spin recovery trials.
The IAFs lead-in training remains on track, however, with a decision in July to purchase 57 more Hawk trainers to add to its fleet of 66.
India Revises Air Force Training Regime | AVIATION WEEK
It is not the first time the issue is being confronted, but the efforts now being put in place are noteworthy for their breadth. While pushing for new aircraft, the Indian air force has changed its training environment, established new guidelines for combat training and begun to resuscitate its grounded trainer fleet.
At a recent industry event to discuss modernization initiatives, Air Chief Marshall Normal Browne, head of the air force, acknowledged that training is a big concern for us. His first week in office saw two fighters crash.
Fleet modernization is a key ingredient. Browne hopes the $610 million contract for 75 new primary trainer aircraft will be signed soon. In July this year, Pilatus emerged as the lowest bidder with its PC-7 offer. A letter from Korean Aerospace Industries questioning the decision was rejected by the IAF.
The final lap had been fought among the PC-7, Korean KT-1 and Hawker-Beechcraft T-6C Texan-II, the latter having emerged on top in field evaluation trials. Contenders eliminated in the first downselect are Grobs G-120TP, Alenia Aerammachi and the Yak-52 built by Romanian firm Aerostar.
Browne notes that at the moment we dont have a basic trainer. Our case for new trainers is with the government and we hope to get it cleared so that we can sign the contract by October, and [get]the new trainer by 2013. Then we can start the new course.
Under tremendous pressure to reduce the accident rate, the air force has decided that the flying course currently in session at its academy in South India, will be the last in which flight cadets will fly MiG-21 trainers. When their course ends in December next year, lead-in and fighter training will rest fully on the new Hawk 132 advanced jet trainer fleet.
We had to do this [use MiG-21s for lead-in training] because there were no other aircraft available. If the Hawk had come two years before as planned, MiG-21s would have been kept for the experienced pilots, the IAF chief says. The decision will be a political relief for the government, too, which has been constantly under fire from parliament over flight safety and the deaths of young pilots on routine training sorties.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. also has agreed to speed up development and delivery of its HTT-40 trainer to meet a requirement of 106 aircraft. At a meeting between the top brass of HAL and the IAF earlier this year, the air force asked HAL to do whatever it takes to ensure it does not deliver an aircraft as accident-prone and risky to fly as the HPT-32 Deepak, the companys previous trainer effort. The HPT-32 fleet has beengrounded since August 2009 following a crash that killed its trainee pilot.
The troubled fleet was also flagged by the countrys national auditor as technologically outdated and beset by flight safety hazards in a report criticizing modernization delays. Most HPT-32 accidents have been put down to issues with how the Lycoming AEO-540-D4B5 engine was mated to the platform.
Earlier this month, Defense Minister A.K. Antony told the Indian parliament that the HPT-32 fleet was undergoing modifications that would get the aircraft flying by next year. In order to improve the reliability of the engine, HAL is implementing certain modifications on the engine and airframe including integrating a system called aircraft parachute recovery system, the minister said. In September 2010, HAL awarded a contract to Minnesota-based BRS Aerospace, to equip its HPT-32s with ballistic parachute recovery systems.
In the absence of a primary trainer, the IAF has had to resort to a somewhat ad-hoc training regimen involving the complete absence of Stage-1 training, instead starting its trainee pilots on the intermediate HJT-16 Kiran jet, also due for retirement soon. Its replacement, HALs HJT-36 Sitara Stage-2 trainer, aims for initial operational clearance by year-end. That could be delayed due to a prototype crash in April during spin recovery trials.
The IAFs lead-in training remains on track, however, with a decision in July to purchase 57 more Hawk trainers to add to its fleet of 66.
India Revises Air Force Training Regime | AVIATION WEEK
