HAL to set up pilot training school

Aircraft major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL, in a joint venture with world aviation simulation and modeling technology leaders CAE of Canada, will set up a 55 million helicopter pilot training school, HAL Chairman Ashok Baweja said on Thursday.

Aircraft major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL, in a joint venture with world aviation simulation and modeling technology leaders CAE of Canada, will set up a 55 million helicopter pilot training school, HAL Chairman Ashok Baweja said on Thursday.

The school to be operational by September 2008, will train Army, Air Force and Naval pilots to fly various versions of HAL-made Advanced Light Helicopter ALH, he said. While the helicopter training school will provide simulated training facilities for various categories of helicopters, ALH training will be a key component, Baweja said. He was speaking after the inaugural flights of a fully armed ALH powered by a new, powerful Turbo-Mecca-HAL JV engine called Shakti.

HAL expects a domestic market of 250 to 300 ALHs and has so far delivered 74 ALHs to the services. There is an existing order for 75 more and further orders are expected in about a month8217;s time, the Chairman said.

8220;Since the first batch of ALHs were given to the Army in 2002, the helicopter has gone on to become faster and better. Today, the ALH is different from what it was in 2002. I would call it the Mark III version,8221; Baweja said.

The weaponised version of the ALH, involving an investment of Rs 600 crore, will initially undergo 8216;carriage trials8217; and then move on to weapons testing, he said. The ALH gunships meant for the armed forces have been evolved keeping in mind the specific territories where the helicopters will be utilised.

The initial versions will be equipped with air-to-air missiles, 70 mm rockets and a 20 mm turret gun that can be linked to electro-optical systems or a helmet pointing system, and a later version will also incorporate anti-tank missiles, Baweja said.

The armed ALH will weigh 5.8 tonne against the 5.5 tonne utility variant. The fully armed ALH will be delivered to the Army in mid 2009, he indicated.

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Contrary to an earlier plan to push the ALH in the international market with Israeli help, HAL has now decided to market the helicopter on its own.

The proposed aircraft development, including a cargo aircraft and a fifth generation fighter with Russian collaboration, are currently going through required government processes, the HAL Chairman said.