25 Years Back
From Vayu Aerospace Review Issue I/ 1994
AVIA India’93 : The First Bangalore Air Show
The Governor of Karnataka formally inaugurated the first ever international air show in the country – Avia India’93 – billed as one of the biggest aviation events in South Asia which put “Indian aviation on the world map”. The flying display was flagged off by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal SK Kaul, in the afternoon at Air Force Station, Yelahanka. Of significance, the airshow, which saw about two hours of flying displays daily, concided with the 90th anniversary of heavier-than-air flying when the Wright Brothers flew the Kitty Hawk way back in 1903 on 17 December, which also marked Golden Jubilee on the Aeronautical Society of India.
Momentous and historic decisions
The last weeks of 1993 witnessed India’s first international air show and exposition ( covered and analysed extensively in the issue) and the mood is upbeat as the economic indicators continue to swing positively. In the civil aviation sector, 1994 must witness some momentous and historic decisions. Firstly, the repealing (or at least much modifying of) the Air Corporations Act of 1953. The moment of truth is nigh : the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) prototype is to “roll-out” in mid-1995 : the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) must complete its test flying over the next 18 months : the Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA) must go into service soon, the various missile programmes must mature in the year ahead.
No Shows !
Allowing for the fact that this was the very first air show of its kind, the types of aircraft, the variety and the flying skills demonstrated, were of a high standard. As many as eight indigenous aircraft designs of different types and varieties were shown at Avia India 1993, some flying, some on ground, proving amply the enthusiasm and vitality of the Indian aircraft industry. Disappointingly a number of aircraft expected to be present from abroad, including the Sukhoi Su-27, Rafale, Alphajet, ATP, ATR 42/72, MiG-31 and others were absent although the parent companies were quick to reassure that this was not because of any lack of interest.
Certainly the flying display was dominated by the aviation wing of the Indian Navy. Where was the Indian Air Force during the main flying display ? Even the Mirage 2000, a type long in the IAF’s service had to be displayed by the French Air Force ! Was the abstinence deliberate, or because of bureaucratic hurdles ?
Akash
The DRDO-developed Akash surface-to-air missile was successfully test fired at the interim test range, Chandipur-on-Sea on 4 February. The 650-kg Akash missile has range of 25 km and is designed to function with the Rajendra phased-array radar, which has multiple target capability. Meanwhile, the Prithvi surface- to- surface battlefield missile (SSBM) formed part of the military parade marking the country’s 44th Republic Day.
5-Year plan for Coast Guard
The Ministry of Finance has approved the Five-Year Coast Guard Development Plan for the period 1992-97. The total budgetary allocation has been finalised at Rs 1,223 crore for the plan period, but is far short of the Coast Guard’s own projection of roughly about Rs 2,000 crore. In the absence of a plan allocation so far, the Coast Guard had been meeting its expenditure from supplementary grants provided by the government, resulting in an inability to do long-term planning for expansion.
India’s role in an ‘All-Asian Airliner’
Indian Ambassador to China visited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Bangalore on 17 January 1994, was received by Dr CG Krishnadas Nair, Managing Director, Bangalore Complex and shown around the facilities. The Ambassador was briefed on the recent MOU signed by HAL with Daewoo Heavy Industries Ltd., South Korea for production of the proposed 100-130 seater Asian Airbus airliner to be jointly developed between India, China, South Korea and Singapore. Considering that the aerospace industries in both India and China have large infrastructure skills and capabilities to produce structures for civil aircraft, there are opportunities for co-operation between the two countries.
US Fly-By-Wire System for LCA
India’s much-delayed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project came a step closer to reality in late November, when Martin Marietta was awarded a contract to supply the fighter’s fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system. They will work with the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) to design, develop and produce the hardware, software and test equipment for the planned quadruplex FBW system. Other foreign contractors already involved in the LCA project include Ericsson and Ferranti assisting in the development of the aircraft’s multi-mode pulse-Doppler radar, and Dowty and Smith Industries, which are supplying the full authority digital engine control system. The prototypes and test aircraft will be powered by General Electric F404 turbofans, but the plan is to power the production LCA with the GTX-35V, currently being developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment. Dassault has been acting as a consultant to ADE on the airframe design.