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NEW DELHI: The first flight of an indigenously developed light utility helicopter is to take place within a week - a major milestone for the project - with developers overcoming a final software-related hurdle that had held up tests.

Authoritative sources told ET that the first flight of the 3.1 tonne prototype LUH, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. to replace the ageing Cheetah and Chetak fleets of the armed forces, will take place in Bengaluru within a few days, depending on the weather.

"We are now ready to take the chopper in the air. All hurdles have been crossed and now it is only a matter of the right day when all conditions are good for a first flight," a senior official involved in the project told ET.

While ground tests for the LUH were concluded in 2015, the first flight had been held up due to certification issues in the software used in the chopper. As the LUH is classified as a military project, special encrypted software was needed. The developer had initially shared codes that did not meet specifications.

The LUH program has been in the works since 2008, when the armed forces projected a requirement for a light chopper that could carry troops and supplies to border areas. More than 200 choppers are needed by the three armed forces.

There has been renewed energy on accelerating the project in the past year, with a parallel process being driven by the armed forces to procure a light chopper for urgent needs.


HAL plans to start manufacturing the choppers from 2018, after certifications and operational clearances are obtained. The chopper is powered by a Shakti engine made in collaboration with French company Turbomeca. A new production facility is to be built for the LUH project.

Besides troop transport, the choppers can be used for aerial reconnaissance and civilian purposes to meet domestic and export demand.

HAL is working on a project with Russian Helicopters to build 200 of the KA 226 light choppers in India as part of a government-to-government deal. A detailed agreement on the KA 226 is expected to be finalised shortly.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...set-to-fly-in-a-week/articleshow/53971418.cms
 
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NEW DELHI: The first flight of an indigenously developed light utility helicopter is to take place within a week - a major milestone for the project - with developers overcoming a final software-related hurdle that had held up tests.

Authoritative sources told ET that the first flight of the 3.1 tonne prototype LUH, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. to replace the ageing Cheetah and Chetak fleets of the armed forces, will take place in Bengaluru within a few days, depending on the weather.

"We are now ready to take the chopper in the air. All hurdles have been crossed and now it is only a matter of the right day when all conditions are good for a first flight," a senior official involved in the project told ET.

While ground tests for the LUH were concluded in 2015, the first flight had been held up due to certification issues in the software used in the chopper. As the LUH is classified as a military project, special encrypted software was needed. The developer had initially shared codes that did not meet specifications.

The LUH program has been in the works since 2008, when the armed forces projected a requirement for a light chopper that could carry troops and supplies to border areas. More than 200 choppers are needed by the three armed forces.

There has been renewed energy on accelerating the project in the past year, with a parallel process being driven by the armed forces to procure a light chopper for urgent needs.


HAL plans to start manufacturing the choppers from 2018, after certifications and operational clearances are obtained. The chopper is powered by a Shakti engine made in collaboration with French company Turbomeca. A new production facility is to be built for the LUH project.

Besides troop transport, the choppers can be used for aerial reconnaissance and civilian purposes to meet domestic and export demand.

HAL is working on a project with Russian Helicopters to build 200 of the KA 226 light choppers in India as part of a government-to-government deal. A detailed agreement on the KA 226 is expected to be finalised shortly.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...set-to-fly-in-a-week/articleshow/53971418.cms

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Courtesy @migflug


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15-minutes hovering marks light utility helicopter's first flight
Chethan Kumar| TNN | Sep 6, 2016, 02.43 PM IST
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BENGALURU: A prototype of the indigenous light utility helicopter (LUH) took off at 12.15pm on Tuesday, marking the first flight of the chopper, a 187-unit order for which has already been placed with defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Sources in HAL said that the firm's chief test pilot Wing Commander Unni Pillai and test pilot Anil Bhambhani were in the cockpit for the first technical flight.

"It took off at 12.15(pm) and was in the air for 15 minutes. It was a technical flight and several parameters were tested," the source could not immediately reveal all the details immediately.
The LUH platform is a single engine multi-purpose helicopter in the three-tonne class and is designed to perform various roles like policing, urban surveillance, medical ambulance etc.

HAL has been keen on LUH for a while now and has even embarked on a separate complex for chopper production in Tumakuru near Bengaluru, which will largely focus on LUH. The first flight of the prototype was to happen sometime last year, but there has been a considerable delay.

Speaking about the new chopper complex in Tumakuru, HAL Chairman T Survarna Raju had told TOI earlier: "Activities that support Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv will also be taken up in the new complex."

However, the primary responsibility will be to produce the LUH. Raju had said that if everything went well the unit could be operational by 2017-18. It will have the initial capacity to build 3 tonne class and 10 tonne class of helicopters and will be able to build about five 3-tonne class of LUHs per year.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...copters-first-flight/articleshow/54028987.cms

Thread link
https://defence.pk/threads/light-utility-helicopters-first-flight.448006/
 
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5 LUH a year.... that's low. A second line with private sector.HAL should take lead in development , testing , qualification and improvements along with 1 production line and a production line optimised for delivering more numbers with a private sector player.

@Abingdonboy
If HAL actually manage to get IOC soon and get a private player to manufacture a second line , I am with you that we won't need Ka226T then .
 
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5 LUH a year.... that's low. A second line with private sector.HAL should take lead in development , testing , qualification and improvements along with 1 production line and a production line optimised for delivering more numbers with a private sector player.

@Abingdonboy
If HAL actually manage to get IOC soon and get a private player to manufacture a second line , I am with you that we won't need Ka226T then .
Has the Ka226T deal being sign or that too is in limbo? + anyone read prasun blog, he mentions that this Ka226T will go to the NDRF/NDMA?
 
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