The Hindu : National : LCA: third prototype makes maiden flight

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Saturday, Dec 02, 2006
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LCA: third prototype makes maiden flight

Ravi Sharma

BANGALORE: The third Prototype Vehicle (PV-3) of India's prestigious but delayed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme made its inaugural flight here on Friday.

Piloted by N. Harish of the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC), the canary yellow painted fighter aircraft took of at 4.03 p.m. from a remarkably short run, performing "well and as per expectations" during its 27-minute sortie. The flight is another step in getting the programme closer to the "standard of preparation."

According to NFTC Director R.K. Sharma, all systems performed energetically, with the aircraft climbing to an altitude of 2.5 km and reaching a Mach number (speed) of 0.8.

Though PV-2, which flew exactly a year ago, touched a Mach number of 1.4. The PV-3 first flight was "only to shake up and shake down the aircraft," with higher speeds targeted in the days to come, according to Air Commodore Sharma.

A Jaguar aircraft flew alongside and acted as a "chase" plane, viewing the experimental flight from "close" quarters.

The successful experimental flight, according to LCA Programme Director P.S. Subramanyam, was another notch in "product enhancement" and clearing end user, the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) Initial Operational Clearance envelope. Compared to its predecessors, PV-3 is equipped with a more advanced pilot interface, refined avionics and higher control law capabilities.

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Subramanyam said minor hiccups that surfaced during flight-testing of earlier prototypes in the fuel and hydraulic systems had been "successfully absorbed." Commenting on an anomaly in the connectivity of the systems that almost caused the postponement of the flight, Mr. Subramanyam said that during last Wednesday's high-speed taxi trails, the values in the aircraft's angle of attack appeared incorrect. This was set right on Friday. The aircraft underwent another taxi trail before being cleared for the inaugural flight.

PV-3 is the LCA programme's fifth aircraft. The earlier ones were, the two technical demonstrators (TD-1 and TD-2) and PV-1 and PV-2. The five aircraft have thus far clocked 315 hours in around 570 sorties. Two more prototypes PV-5 and PV-6 (both twin-seater trainers) are planned.

Though the LCA has proved that it is a good design platform, it is still a long way from proving its might as a weapons platform. Only after the aircraft is weaponised and operationalised will it be fit for induction into the IAF's squadrons. Initial induction into squadron service is expected in April 2008.

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