[Aviatoraval]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Were there some animals which were thrown or ran outward from impact area towards the end of the video!?

No those are rocket shells which bounce off the ground. (For ref watch tank firing videos on Youtube)

No explosion because those projectiles may be inert rockets with no explosives.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by Aviatoraval

No those are rocket shells which bounce off the ground. (For ref watch tank firing videos on Youtube)

No explosion because those projectiles may be inert rockets with no explosives.

Would be great if you can give your inputs as expert in the subject matter. How is the bird to fly (rudra/ALH) and LCH (if you had an opportunity to fly one already)? How important is such a test? Stability, vibrations how they affect flying and hovering etc. In my previous video where they are testing the gun, it is very smokey, so what do you pilots do to maintain orientation during such times? Also, what level of accuracy is considered accurate enough?

[Aviatoraval]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Would be great if you can give your inputs as expert in the subject matter. How is the bird to fly (rudra/ALH) and LCH (if you had an opportunity to fly one already)? How important is such a test? Stability, vibrations how they affect flying and hovering etc. In my previous video where they are testing the gun, it is very smokey, so what do you pilots do to maintain orientation during such times? Also, what level of accuracy is considered accurate enough?

1. I have never flown these aircraft. But pilots who fly these machines do praise them.
2. LCH still under prototype, so none other than HAL/ASTE test pilots have flown them.
3. These test are very important to know that your machine is working fine, armament systems, interference with flying properties of aircraft, effect on stability due varying CG, sight, integration with avionics and plethora of others are working perfectly as they should be.
4. Smoke issue can you please be more clear. As in smoke near the target or around the aircraft.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by Aviatoraval

...
4. Smoke issue can you please be more clear. As in smoke near the target or around the aircraft.

Regarding the smoke, at the target end, because beyond a certain point at the target end only smoke is visible and as seen in the LCH video, the vibrations look to destabilize the bird from keeping its nose steady. Those vibrations from the gun must be really unnerving and how do pilots cope up with the disorientation that may result from that action?

By any chance do you know Wg. Cdr. J E Stephen? I guess he could have become an Air Commodore if not Group Captain by now.

[Amit_breakfree]

The Indian Air Force (IAF) formally inducted into service the first Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1 in Final Operational Clearance (FOC) standard today and operationalised its second LCA squadron No. 18 ‘Flying Bullets’.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) R.K.S. Bhadauria, received the first FOC standard LCA from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in a function held at Air Force Station, Sulur near Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu.



Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le31685568.ece

[PraNeel]

IAF Chief R K S Bhadauria operationalised the squadron “Flying Bullets” at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore on Wednesday. The Air Chief Marshal also flew an LCA Tejas during at the inauguration of the 2nd LCA Tejas squadron.

The squadron has participated in the 1971 war. Nirmal Jeet Singh Sekhon belongs to this squadron and he is the lone holder of India's highest gallantry award Paramvir Chakra in IAF.

This squadron gets the Mark 1 FOC configuration with the refueling probe.

"The Squadron will be equipped with LCA Tejas FOC (final operation clearance) aircraft and will be the second IAF Squadron to fly LCA Tejas after the 45 Squadron based at Coimbatore,", a release said.







Here is a video of IAF Chief landing the plane after a sortie. Jai Hind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6xyh0CtO74

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by PraNeel

...The Air Chief Marshal also flew an LCA Tejas during at the inauguration of the 2nd LCA Tejas squadron.
...
This squadron gets the Mark 1 FOC configuration with the refueling probe.
...
Here is a video of IAF Chief landing the plane after a sortie. Jai Hind

He flew in the Mk.1 (IOC) config Tejas and not the getting delivered FOC config jet. If my memory serves right, he was also one of the Test pilots during the Tejas development.

To all the IAF pilots here, how do these Top ranking officers hold on to their type certifications? Do they fly every now and then to keep their licence and type certifications or do they do some special preparations/refresher before such demo sorties? If at all they get time to fly every now and then (minimum sorties), do they participate in training or simply go for a check ride?

[PraNeel]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

He flew in the Mk.1 (IOC) config Tejas and not the getting delivered FOC config jet. If my memory serves right, he was also one of the Test pilots during the Tejas development.

I had the same observation from all the videos present online. If one watches closely the lineup of Tejas jets the refueling probe is missing.
It seems that the plane in the hangar was a token of FOC MK-1 getting inducted while the display consisted of the existing squadron.
And yes, certification also needs to be in place.

Current IAF chief is closely associated with Tejas development and he is making the right push for increased production and induction.
At 4:33 you can hear the views of S J Nanodkar Air Vice Marshal where he also talks about IAF chief's association with Tejas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esItizZjmgo

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by PraNeel

It seems that the plane in the hangar was a token of FOC MK-1 getting inducted while the display consisted of the existing squadron.
And yes, certification also needs to be in place.

Yes, they are all 45 Sqdn's IOC Tejas Mk.1s.

The FoC aircraft are yet to be delivered. The first one(LA5017) is due to fly to Sulur from Bangalore tomorrow. Let us also remember the refuelling ptones can be removed or mounted as needed(just like the IFR probes on the IAF's C-130J-30s)

Remember the time when Navy's 300 Sqn was reformed on the MiG-29Ks? The MiG-29Ks were shared by 300 & 303 Sqns till 300 Sqn received its MiG-29Ks. In fact at that time, the MiG-29Ks spotted both Sqn logos on the tail fin - a Black Panther Head to represent 303 Sqn and a leaping White Tiger to represent 300 Sqdn, which meant that the aircraft were being used by both Sqdns. I suppose the same pattern will be followed by 18 & 45 Sqns till 18 Sqdn receives its full compliment of Tejas Mk.1s.

It's great to see the second IAF Tejas sqdn and I wish the IAF beings back the practice of painting Sqdn logos on its aircraft.

[himanshugoswami]

This looks like an IAF Flanker. Didn't know that they exercised at any point with the Raptor! anyone has any insights?

[Sutripta]

Where are we on the Uttam radar?

Sutripta

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by himanshugoswami

This looks like an IAF Flanker. Didn't know that they exercised at any point with the Raptor! anyone has any insights?

Could be from Red Flag 2016 where the IAF fighter contingent comprised of Flankers and Jaguars.

It isnt from 2008 for sure because IAF Flankers that participated in Red Flag 08 had dark grey nose cones while the one in the photo has a light grey nose cone. So it has to be from 2016 Red Flag exercises, if it isnt a photoshop job.

[V.Narayan]

IAF’s Boeing Chinook CH-47F

Not written about much but most certainly a very critical component of our vertical lift capability in the mountains is the ever green CH-47F. We now have 15 in service {or is it 10 in service and 5 yet to be delivered}. I sure wish we had 60 or 75.

The CH-47 or Chinook is a heavy lift twin rotor helicopter. It lifts a payload of 10.5 tonnes in its cabin or on three ventral cargo hooks for under slung loads. Within its cabin it can lift 33 fully equipped troops in two rows or 55 in ‘squeeze’ configuration. One RAF Chinook on a rescue mission lifted off with 128 souls on board!

In terms of the world’s four heavy lift military choppers {Mi-6, CH-53, Mi-26, CH-47} that served with squadrons the CH-47 is the lightest and the most widely used with over 1200 produced since its first flight almost 60 years ago in 1961.

Several design features indicate it is tailor made to carry military loads. The design with two rotors was chosen as it enables a full length cabin with a wide ramp door and drive in/roll on ability. The design affords the maximum length of usable cabin volume for a given overall length with rotors turning -- a critical factor when operating in mountains or out of jungle clearings. The four piece landing gear {quite unusual in a helicopter} allow it to land on soft ground without tilting over a common occurrence with tricycle landing gears when alighting on soft sand, soft snow or deep slush. The rear ramp can be kept open to accommodate lengthy cargo pieces which can protrude out in flight. The only condition being the centre of gravity envelope. The ramp itself operates in two parts -- the upper part can slide inside the lower half and serve as a observation or firing post or both halves can join together and act as one ramp.

The two main rotors design also gives the maximum swept area or disc area for a given overall length – a vital criterion in restricted mountain terrain flying. As most of you know rotor swept area {now Americanized to disc area} is aerodynamically akin to wing area of a fixed wing machine. The lower your disc loading {AUW/Swept Area} the better reserve lift safety you have. At 9.5 lbs/ sq foot the Chinook is moderately loaded. The Alouette Cheetah, the Queen of high altitude flying has a loading of ~5 lbs/sq foot!! The two turboshafts are mounted on the rear engine pylon and through a gearbox drive both rotors. In an emergency one engine too can drive both rotors.

This machine should do well in high altitude flying so needed by us. In addition to the disc loading it also has a good power to weight ratio of 0.28 {shp/lbs} at full load. This compares to 0.19 for the latest Mi-17 versions and the venerable Cheetah.


Length: 98 ft (30 m) ; Fuselage length: 52 ft (16 m)

Empty weight: 11. 14 tonnes; Max takeoff weight: 22.7 tonnes

Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming T55-GA-714A turboshaft engines, 4,733 shp each

Main rotor diameter: 2× 60 ft ; Main rotor area: 5,600 sq ft

Capacity:
33–55 troops or
24 stretchers and 3 attendants or
24,000 lb (10,886 kg) payload

Maximum speed: 170 knots , 310 km/h

Combat radius with full load: 200 nautical miles, 370 km
Ferry range: 1,216 nautical miles 2,252 km

Service ceiling: 20,000 feet ,6,100 metres
Initial rate of climb at sea level: 1,522 ft/min , 7.73 metres/second

All pictures rediff.com. The last photo is of a US army Ch-47, included here to depict the ramp & aft cabin view.

[AlphaKilo]

IAF talking about Tejas and calling it the best in the class.

https://youtu.be/bAYvJEZ2f7A

[Sutripta]

Dual rotor helicopters - what sort of noise does it make?

Sutripta