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Flight Test NFTC |
"It is easy to invent a flying machine; More difficult to build one;
- Otto Lilienthal | |
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challenges in Flight Testing LCA
- National Flight Test Centre
- Development Flight Test Programme
- High Lights of LCA Flight Test
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Challenges in Flight Testing LCA |
Four decades after the test flight of HF-24 Marut, first flight of LCA was a significant milestone. Bridging the technology gap was challenging: - Record number of new technologies packed in one prototype
- Multitude of agencies involved
- Ab-initio development of infrastructure and methodology
- Insufficient levels of experience
- "Risk management" by the flight test team
"Flight testing will never be risk free, but the risk must be managed to an acceptable level and balanced against technological gains" |
National Flight Test Centre (NFTC) |
NFTC was formed in July 1994 pooling in resources of ADA, HAL & IAF by the then Scientific Adviser to the Raksha Mantri, Dr. A PJ Abdul Kalam, to undertake flight-testing of the LCA exclusively . An effective and efficient system has been put in place in the disciplines of:-
Flight test operations
- Flight test engineering
- Flight test instrumentation
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Development Flight Test Programme |
- Full Scale Engineering Development (FSED) phase
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Initial Operational Clearance (IOC)
- Final Operational Clearance (FOC)
- Special tasks associated with futuristic technologies
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Highlights of LCA Flight Test |
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Excellent match between theoretical prediction and flight test data
- High sortie rate
- Five pilots introduced in a span of 26 flights
- Modern, dynamic calibration techniques used
- Minimal unproductive flights
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