Aerospace Diary

June 19, 2015    By Chris Pocock and Neelam Mathews   Hindustan Aeronautics ( HAL ) has chosen the Honeywell  TPE331 -12B turboprop to power its proposed new basic trainer. The  HTT -40 is the delayed indigenous candidate to replace the old  HPT -32 piston-engine basic trainer in the Indian Air Force ( IAF ). After delays in development of the  HTT -40, the  IAF  bought 75 Pilatus  PC -7 Mk  II turboprops as an interim measure. Those aircraft are now being delivered. “ Our  TPE331 -12B is one of the most widely used and capable turboprop engines in service today,” said Anjit Ghosh, president of Honeywell Aerospace India. “With our engine at its core,  HAL ’s new, locally developed  HTT -40 will offer pilots rapid acceleration, low fuel consumption, improved reliability and the ability to train for a variety of missions.” However, the  IAF  is reportedly reluctant to i...

Neelam Mathews March 4, 2013 Defense Queries Answered Today (Verbatim) in Lok Sabha on- HAL- So what’s new? More Excuses? Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has taken up indigenous production of SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Advanced Jet Trainer (Hawk), Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), Advance Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and Dornier-228 for the defence forces. Dornier-228 program has been as per schedule. There have been some delays in deliveries in respect of production programs of other aircraft. In the initial stages of the projects, delays were due to additional re-work on jigs in Hawk, late receipt of drawings from Russia for Su-30 MKI, integration issues of Integrated Architecture and Display System (IADS) with Shakti engine and other new items in respect of ALH and design and development issues relating to IJT and LCA. The certification of IJT was also delayed due to an accid...