Indian Military Aviation News and Discussion

[Arun_S]

[url="http://www.indianexpress.com/news/crashed-aircraft-mainstay-of-military-pilot-training-overdue-for-replacement/586639/0"]Crashed aircraft mainstay of military pilot training, overdue for replacement[/url]

Mar 04, 2010 at 0321 hrs New Delhi: The Kiran Mk-II aircraft of the Navy’s Sagar Pawan Aerobatic Team that crashed in Hyderabad on Wednesday is the mainstay of India’s military pilot training programme but is overdue for replacement after more than three decades in service. The aircraft, also used by the Air Force’s Suryakiran Aerobatic Team to perform extreme maneuvers, has neared the end of its service life. The Mk- II version of Kiran entered service in mid-1980s. Had things gone as per schedule, Kirans would have been replaced by the Indigenous Jet Trainer (IJT) in 2006-07. [color="#0000ff"]But the IJT, being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is running more than five years behind schedule due to snags in developmental phase and is not likely to join service before 2013.[/color] IJT has already suffered two crashes. Besides aerobatics, Kiran is mainly used to train military pilots.



After the grounding of the entire HPT 32 basic trainer fleet last year due to repeated engine problems, Kirans are now also being used for first stage training of pilots. [color="#4169e1"]{Arun_S: This is just like it was ~27 years ago [/color][color="#4169e1"]in 1983 [/color][color="#4169e1"]when ab-initio aircraft at AF Academy for flying cadets was Kiran HJT-16} [/color]



This has put a massive strain on the fleet which was earlier used only for second stage flying. This has meant that the fleet has been in the air much more frequently in the last few months. Strain and age have started to show, with three fatal crashes involving the aircraft having occurred in the past four years. Wednesday’s crash is the fourth since 2006 involving aircraft of the aerobatic teams of the Navy and the Air force. Aircraft of the Suryakiran Team suffered two fatal crashes in 2006 and 2009 while one of the choppers of Sarang Helicopter Display Team crashed in 2007 while practicing for the Aero India show, killing one pilot.



Though the Air Force is desperately hunting for new basic trainers, strain on Kirans is likely to continue, at least for the next three years.



Sturdiness of the airframe and exceptional handling qualities has made Kiran the ideal choice for Indian aerobatic teams. Following the crash, the Navy has grounded its entire fleet of Kiran aircraft — 12 Mk-I and eight Mk-II aircraft — based in Goa.

If only HAL can deliver HJT32 (Sitara) per promised schedule, IAF training and loss will not be in a sorry state it has been in the last 5 years.