Light Combat Helicopter completes hot weather flight trials

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) has attained a milestone by successfully completing the hot weather flight trials for a nearly one week at Jodhpur recently. "Test flights were carried out in the temperature range of 39 to 42 degree Celsius. These were done with the involvement of customer pilots from Indian Air Force and Army in presence of representatives from RCMA and DGAQA", said T Suvarana Raju, CMD, HAL.

LCH prototype, TD-3 was ferried from Bengaluru to Jodhpur to achieve the successful trials. The flight testing covered 'temperature survey of engine bay and hydraulic system', 'assessment of performance', 'handling qualities and loads' at different 'all up weights', 'low speed handling' and 'height-velocity diagram establishment'.

LCH had completed cold weather flight testing at Leh in February 2015. Two LCH - one on static and another on flying display- enthralled people at Aero India 2015 held in Bengaluru earlier this year. The LCH is expected to receive Initial Operational Clearance and enter into series production by the end of this year.