Keeping in tune with 'Make in India', Bengaluru-based Defence major Hindustan Aeronautics limited-built new light Combat Helicopter has completed cold weather trials at Air Force Station, leh recently. "The trials covered engine starts with internal batteries after overnight cold soak at 3 km altitude and 4.1 km altitude", said T Suvarna Raju, chairman, HAl. According to a press statement issued in Bengaluru on Monday, the engine starts were satisfactory in the temperature of minus 18 degree C at 4.1 km. The flights were also carried out to assess high altitude performance and low speed handling.
The lCH prototype, TD2 was ferried from Bangalore to leh and the flight trials were carried out involving customer pilots from the Air Force and the Army and with the participation of representatives from RCMA (H/c) and DGAQA (H/c). "light Combat Helicopter (lCH) Technology Demonstrator TD-3 made its maiden flight in November last year and the TD-4 is likely to fly soon. The IOC is expected in the later part of this year and to achieve this we are concentrating on building more prototypes and increase the number of flights to reduce the lead-time for IOC", Raju added.