HAL’s LUH Helicopter Completes High Altitude Trials, Close to Operational Clearance

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) demonstrated high altitude capability in hot and high weather conditions in the Himalayas.

With this test, the LUH has complied with all the requirements of the users and with the completion of hot and high altitude testing, it is close to operational clearance certification, says Mr R Madhavan, CMD, HAL.

The trials were carried out by the test pilots from HAL, IAF and the Army from August 24 to September 2, 2019. A comprehensive test plan was executed at Leh (3300m) in temperatures up to International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) +32 degree C which included envelope expansion, performance and flying qualities.

The LUH then lifted off from Leh and demonstrated its hot and high hover performance at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at 5000m followed by  another forward helipad (5500m at ISA +27degree C). While these extreme weather conditions imposed flight restrictions on all other civil and military aircraft, LUH flights were unhindered as it is designed for such operations.

The helicopter embarked on a 3000km flight from Bengaluru to Leh over a period of three days traversing many civil and military airfields. During the course of ferrying and trials at high altitude, the chopper revealed high reliability without any service support.

The composite trials team included designers, flight test crew of HAL, the Indian Air Force and Indian Army.  Representatives of CEMILAC and ORDAQA witnessed the trials for military and civil certification requirements respectively.

The full gamut of trails completed include hot weather trials at Nagpur in 2018, cold weather trials at Leh in 2019,  sea level trials at Chennai in 2018 and at Puducherry in 2019.