An Intermediate Jet Trainer prototype aircraft crashed during routine flight test in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district on Thursday, but both test pilots ejected to safety, police said.
Before his departure, Putin visited software major Infosys on the outskirts of Bangalore and defence undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Wednesday expressed concerns over the delays in delivery schedules of 'Tejas' Light Combat Aircraft and intermediate jet trainer 'Sitara', both being developed indigenously, and their impact on operational capability.
The aircraft (HJT-36), flown by Squadron Leader Baldev Singh, took off at 1400 IST and flew for 20 minutes over the Bangalore sky.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd plans to invest more than Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion) in the next 10 years on the back of a strong order pipeline and big ticket projects on the horizon.
The maiden flight of IJT was preceded by a display of Dhruv highlighting its performance.
Indian Air Force and HAL sources said preliminary information indicated that one of the IJT's tyres burst while it was taking off.
The Intermediate Jet Trainer is expected to replace the ageing Kiran aircraft.
Avani Chaturvedi, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth will shortly enter the history books by being the first three women cadets to be cleared to fly fighter aircraft in India.
Pulling up Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for an inordinate delay of 14 years in the development and supply of a trainer aircraft, the CAG has observed that the time overrun has affected the Stage-II training of IAF pilots.
In a boost to 'Make in India, the HTT-40 rolled out of the hangar with all its lights flashing and its cockpit powered on.
Defence Minister A K Antony is flying down to Bangalore to award the Tejas its initial operational certificate on Friday. The Sitara's success in intensive flight-testing this year means that he could soon be making another trip to award an identical certification to the Sitara.
The Indian Air Force argued that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's HTT-40 trainer jet would be costlier than the Swiss Pilatus trainer over its 30-year service life. When HAL challenged this contention, the IAF was not able to back it with figures.
The HAL wants the IAF to buy 80 Tejas Mark I-A to keep the production line occupied from 2020 to 2023-24
The Bengaluru skies dazzled with somersaults and stunts by metal birds.
An IAF "request for information" floated on the MoD website invites Indian companies to submit preliminary bids to supply the IAF with 106 PC-7 Mk II trainers. Ajai Shukla reports
Instead of the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40, which Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd could build, export, overhaul, upgrade and even modify into a light-attack aircraft, powerful lobbies have promoted a Swiss trainer -- the Pilatus PC-7 Mark II.
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