HAL’s Basic Trainer Begins Spin Tests, Expects 70 Aircraft Order

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s HTT 40 Basic Trainer Aircraft began its in-flight `spin test’ by successfully entering in to two turn spin and subsequently recovering with the appropriate controls.

The Indian MoD’s 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.

Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engg and R&D) at HAL said test points have been met and the spin completion is the last metric which needs to be accomplished before the aircraft enters service. The HTT 40 exceeds the Preliminary Services Qualitative Requirements (of the Indian Air Force) on most fronts and offers a technologically advanced product than its competitor.

Two test pilots undertook the first ever spin entry testing Friday. The stall testing was already completed and the project galloped its way to spin tests.

HAL Chairman R. Madhavan 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.

The spin testing is the most crucial and challenging aspect of flight testing of any aircraft development programme. HAL’s Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) had conducted extensive wind tunnel testing and mathematical model analyses to arrive at the spin chacteristics of the aircraft. The entire study is put to test during those first few moments of spin testing.

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 project has stuck to committed milestones there by setting newer benchmarks in project execution and management (for HAL), a HAL release said.