Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has reportedly conducted the first flight of the second prototype of Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40).
Piloted by a HAL test pilot, the one-hour long flight was carried out at HAL in Bengaluru, India, on 20 May, The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
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The maiden flight follows after the aircraft recently conducted high-speed taxi trials.
HAL CMD T Suvarna Raju was quoted by PTI as saying: “The second prototype was made ready within one year, and flew for one hour carrying out important manoeuvres.”
The HTT-40’s first prototype conducted its first flight in May last year.
The basic trainer aircraft is being indigenously developed by HAL to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing HAL HPT-32 Deepak trainers that are currently in service.
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By GlobalDataThe aircraft will be primarily used for basic flight training, aerobatics, instrument flying and close-formation flights, whereas its secondary roles will include navigation and night-flying.
With a maximum take-off weight of 2,800kg, the aircraft can be armed with gun, rockets and bombs to perform light combat and counter-insurgency missions.
The HTT-40 has a maximum speed of 450kmph and can reach a maximum distance of 1,000km.
The programme is expected to achieve its operational clearance by 2018.
Upon receiving approval, HAL will manufacture three prototypes and two static test specimens.
Image: The first prototype of HAL’s HTT-40 model. Photo: courtesy of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
