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http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/08/stories/2008060855331100.htm
Move to seek Boeing help for LCA test programme
Ravi Sharma
The consultancy will need the clearance of the U.S. Department of State
It will help curtail number of sorties during flight test
It will shorten design, development phase of LCA
BANGALORE: The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has moved forward to sign up with American aerospace major Boeing for consultancy on their Tejas Light Combat Aircraft’s (LCA) flight test programme. The tie-up suggests that the Bangalore based Indian defence laboratory is unable to, within the required time span, complete the testing on its own.
The tie-up which as per the United States laws concerning sale/consultancy of services and products in areas of defence will first have to be cleared by the U.S. Department of State. It is envisaged that the multi million dollar consultancy will shorten the design and development phase of the LCA.
The ADA sources told The Hindu that that the consultancy would help curtail the number of sorties that were to be flown in each phase of the LCA’s flight testing as the ADA attempts to obtain initial operational clearance (IOC) for the aircraft. The ADA’s latest revised schedule speaks of a 2010 deadline for the IOC.
The Boeing, with sufficient experience on flight test programmes like their F-18 Hornet, will provide the ADA with crucial inputs on which critical points of the flying envelope flight tests would have to be conducted.
This would avoid unnecessary flights and testing out every point of the flight envelope, saving on both costs, and even more importantly, time, enabling the ADA to compress the LCA’s flight test programme.
Under the agreement flight test data generated during flights undertaken by the Indian Air Force pilots attached to the National Flight Test Centre, would be handed over to the Boeing engineers for analysis. The Boeing would then advise the ADA what should be done, they said.
The consultancy is for a period of 42 months, with the option for the ADA to extend it if they need to.
The ADA over two years ago sent out a request for proposal to a number of global aerospace players including the Boeing, the Lockheed Martin, the Dassault and the Saab Gripen seeking this consultancy.
Official sources also said that the ADA had sought proposals from the Boeing and other aerospace players for help on the naval variant of the Tejas.
Move to seek Boeing help for LCA test programme
Ravi Sharma
The consultancy will need the clearance of the U.S. Department of State
It will help curtail number of sorties during flight test
It will shorten design, development phase of LCA
BANGALORE: The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has moved forward to sign up with American aerospace major Boeing for consultancy on their Tejas Light Combat Aircraft’s (LCA) flight test programme. The tie-up suggests that the Bangalore based Indian defence laboratory is unable to, within the required time span, complete the testing on its own.
The tie-up which as per the United States laws concerning sale/consultancy of services and products in areas of defence will first have to be cleared by the U.S. Department of State. It is envisaged that the multi million dollar consultancy will shorten the design and development phase of the LCA.
The ADA sources told The Hindu that that the consultancy would help curtail the number of sorties that were to be flown in each phase of the LCA’s flight testing as the ADA attempts to obtain initial operational clearance (IOC) for the aircraft. The ADA’s latest revised schedule speaks of a 2010 deadline for the IOC.
The Boeing, with sufficient experience on flight test programmes like their F-18 Hornet, will provide the ADA with crucial inputs on which critical points of the flying envelope flight tests would have to be conducted.
This would avoid unnecessary flights and testing out every point of the flight envelope, saving on both costs, and even more importantly, time, enabling the ADA to compress the LCA’s flight test programme.
Under the agreement flight test data generated during flights undertaken by the Indian Air Force pilots attached to the National Flight Test Centre, would be handed over to the Boeing engineers for analysis. The Boeing would then advise the ADA what should be done, they said.
The consultancy is for a period of 42 months, with the option for the ADA to extend it if they need to.
The ADA over two years ago sent out a request for proposal to a number of global aerospace players including the Boeing, the Lockheed Martin, the Dassault and the Saab Gripen seeking this consultancy.
Official sources also said that the ADA had sought proposals from the Boeing and other aerospace players for help on the naval variant of the Tejas.