In a boost to the defence pilot’s training capabilities on indigenous aircraft, the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) took its inaugural flight.
The aircraft was flown by Group Captain C Subramaniam and Group Captain Venugopal for about 10 to 15 minutes at the HAL airport in Bengaluru on 17th July in the presence of defence minister Manohar Parrikar.
Here are the key points of this pet project:
HAL HTT-40:
- The two-seater aircraft is designed and developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Its design is inspired from the US Beechcraft T-6CT and the Swiss Pilatus PC-7 Mark II trainer jet.
- HTT-40 will be used for the first-stage training for all flying cadets of the three services. Indian Air Force is expected to procure 70 HTT-40 aircraft.
- The trainer consists of Digital Mock Up (DMU), real-time systems clash analysis, laser tracking of assembly jigs, six degrees of freedom, mathematical model and a complete glass cockpit.
- Almost 50 per cent of the 4,000-odd components on HTT-40 are manufactured by private companies.
- HTT-40 aircraft weighs about 2,800 kg.
- It is powered by the Honeywell TPE331-12B turboprop engine of 950 shp class.
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT:
- While the HTT-40 programme was almost junked during the UPA rule, Parrikar pushed both IAF and HAL to ensure the development of the trainer.
- Unlike Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and other projects, which are dependent on advances from the government in the development stages, the HAL has earmarked ₹350 crore from its own funds for the project.
- According to HAL, the team behind HTT-40 programme is “young” with an average age of 29 when it started.
HAL HTT-40 IN BUSINESS:
- The programme aims to achieve its operational clearance by 2018, and towards this, the company will be manufacturing three prototypes and two static-test specimens.
- The trainer could be up to 25 percent cheaper than the imported trainer and may also generate business of ₹ 3,000-4,000 crore for vendors from Bengaluru and Hyderabad in future.
- HAL projects it will build the first two HTT-40 trainers in 2018, eight in 2019, and reach its capacity of 20 a year from 2020.
- HAL hopes to build 200 HTT-40s, exporting a “weaponized” version to countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar, and some African customers.
- The cost of the HTT-40 project stands at around $54 million.
