Tejas completes 500 test flights;On course for operational clearance

Bangalore, Mar 9 (UNI) The indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas today completed a major landmark in its development programme by completing the 500th flight test.

Piloted successfully by Gp Cpt N Harish, the aircraft, Tejas PV1, flew at 1.4 March at an altitude of 12 km. The duration of the flight was 27 minutes, AN Aeronautical Development Agency release said here.

This was the 115th flight of PV1. Four Tejas machines were in test flight with Technology Demonstrator One (TD1) completing 172 flights, TD 2 recording 211 flights and PV2 two flights.

The LCA made its maiden flight on January four 2001 when TD1 took to the skies.

The flight of the Tejas Prototype, in Indian Air Force colours, was witnessed by Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal A K Nagalia.

Full scale engineering development activity involving integration of sensors and weapons as well as concurrent limited series production of eight Tejas aircraft was progressing satisfactorily, the release said.

Apart from the naval variant, in all seven LCAs were planned in the initial phase. Besides the two TDs, there would be five prototypes with one of them being a trainer with twin seats.

HAL and the ADA had also signed an agreement last year for limited series production of eight LCAs.

IAF had cleared induction of the first Tejas squadron into operational service. However, a formal government approval for The aircraft's production programme was awaited.

IAF had already ordered for 20 Tejas aircraft and indicated the possibility of securing 20 more.

UNI VK RG CS PC1725