The Naval version of the Indian Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, made its maiden flight from the HAL airport in Bangalore. This was a significant milestone in the history of Indian Aviation in designing a naval variant of a fighter aircraft.
The prototype NP 1 was flown by Indian Navy's veteran Test Pilot, Cmde Jaideep Maolankar with
Wg. Cdr. M Prabhu, a veteran Flight Test Engineer in the rear cockpit. After the initial system integration checks at Bangalore, the NP 1 will be dedicated for carrier compatibility tests at the shore based test facility at INS Hansa, Goa.
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Featured Interview: Dr. Kota Harinarayana
Dr. Kota Harinarayana is a distinguished scientist who has worked with organizations like HAL and DRDO for almost 40 years. He has been the driving force behind India's light combat aircraft, the Tejas. Dr Kota retired as the Programme Director of ADA in 2002. As a recognition of his contribution to the Tejas program, the aircrafts are numbered with his initials as prefix – eg, KH 2001 onwards. Our web team spoke to Dr Kota in a free wheeling interview about his childhood, his intiation into HAL and DRDO and finally about his taking over the reins of the ADA.
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Feature - First flight of the Tejas
by Air Marshal Philip Rajkumar (Retd.)
Wg Cdr Kothiyal seen emerging from the Tejas after the historical first flight on 4 January 2001
Air Marshal Rajkumar was instrumental in setting up the National Flight Test Centre of ADA in 1994. NFTC was created specifically for flight testing the Tejas. He played a critical role in the development of the Tejas and the subsequent historical first flight that took place on the 4th of January 2001. Here he vividly describes what occurred on that momentous ocassion.
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Featured Video
From the cockpit
The Tejas is a pilot’s aeroplane and nowhere is this more evident than in her handling qualities and performance characteristics. She rockets off the runway and into the air in a mere 500 meters, and her control harmony and carefree handling characteristics are clearly demonstrated in the almost poetic ballet in the air that is the aerobatic display routine. Frugal fuel consumption and inbuilt air refueling capability leave the Tejas with combat legs that will be the envy of many a contemporary platform.
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