India's indigenous aircraft developed by HAL inaugurated

India’s indigenous basic trainer aircraft developed by HAL, Hindustan Turboprop Trainer (HTT-40) made its inaugural flight here on Friday in the presence of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

There was a display of a few manoeuvres by the aircraft in the morning after which Parrikar inspected it. Addressing a press conference thereafter, he said: “As much as 75 to 80% of the aircraft has been indigenously developed with the help from the local ecosystem. The commercial production has the capability of generating as much as Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore.” 

As many as 70 plus HTT-40 will be procured by the Indian Air Force, although this figure may also go up to 200, depending on the demand.

The design of the aircraft began in August 2013 through the Hindustan Aeronautical Limited’s (HAL) internal funding and finished in May 2015. The first prototype was built in less than a year after that. The



first flight of the aircraft took place in May 2016 and since then it has already flown seven times. 

The aircraft is expected to get a final clearance by early 2018 and serial production will start in the same year, said Parrikar. As many as three prototypes and two static specimens will also be produced. “Certain percentage of the aircraft will also be used for exports,” said Parrikar. There are plans to weaponise the aircraft. 

A young team of 40 members from the HAL that built the aircraft came in for special praise for completing the work in record time. Parrikar said he had come to HAL last year  and the team’s positive attitude for the project gave him a huge boost of confidence about the project's completion. 

According to HAL officials, Rs 350 crore has gone to build the aircraft and an additional Rs 200 crore was required till its operational clearance.