HAL’s Basic Trainer Aircraft enters Spin Test Phase
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) HTT 40 (Basic Trainer Aircraft) has now entered the `spin test’ phase, in which the aircraft enters into a two turn spin and subsequently recovers with the appropriate controls.
HAL’s Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) had conducted extensive wind tunnel testing and mathematical model analyses to arrive at the spin characteristics of the aircraft. The entire study is put to test during those first few moments of spin testing.
Two test pilots undertook the first ever spin entry testing on November 9th at around 1.30 pm. The aircraft was piloted by Gp Capt (Retd) KK Venugopal, DGM-Test Pilot (FW) from front cock pit and Gp Capt (Retd) S Chaki, Sr. Test Pilot (FW) from rear.
Spin testing is considered to be the most crucial and challenging aspect of flight testing of any aircraft development programme. The aircraft has already completed stall testing earlier.
“The Preliminary Services Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) test points have been met and the spin completion is the last metric which needs to be accomplished before the aircraft enters service. As a matter of fact, HTT 40 exceeds the Preliminary Services Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) on most fronts and offers a technologically advanced product than its competitor,” said Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engg and R&D), HAL.
The project started its detail design in August 2013 with internal funding and quickly made its way to the spin tests in matter of five years. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved procurement of 70 Basic Trainer Aircraft from HAL. The production clearance for HTT 40 is expected to be accorded by the end of this year.
R. Madhavan, CMD, HAL said that the successful start of the spin testing gives a boost to HAL and also restores credibility of HAL in successfully designing a spin worthy aircraft. He congratulated the design and the project teams for timely start of the critical phase. “The project has moved at a break neck speed and stuck to committed milestones there by setting newer benchmarks in project execution and management,” read a communiqué from the company.
