HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)

[AnantS]

Dhruv wont have auto folding rotors because the addition of that mechanism simply adds 100 kg+ wt more, thereby severely reducing load capacity. Also adding mechanism is not that easy because Dhruv uses Hinge-less composite rotor.

Seriously Indian Navy must seriously open Aviation research and design wing as part of its DND in synergy with ADA. And Gov should adequately provide money for that. I have full hope that Indian navy is surely churn out capable naval aviation designs which are more suitable to their own requirements. They are more likely to follow and support indigenous design till the product realization than other two services whose inclination to support indigenous product sorely depends upon which party's Govt is at center. Indian Navy actually gets short stick every time from ADA/HAL and Govt. Case in point Check saga of LCA, AMCA or MRH. Naval variants always come up as sort of ad-hoc versions of Air Force/Army versions. Or in some cases Design Agency simply forgets to consult Navy at design phase

 

[Prashant12]

HAL carries out hot weather tests on its LUH in city

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) carried out some critical tests on its latest platform named Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), in the city on Tuesday.


Speaking exclusively to The Hitavada, HAL’s Chief Test Pilot Wg Cdr Unnikrishna Pillay(Retd) informed that the LUH has tremendous demand from all the three wings of Defence services, mainly for its utility of being used as an Air Ambulance, that can carry two stretchers, one doctor and one attendant, or load of 1.2 tons, besides the crew of two. Moreover, the ageing fleet of Chetaks and Cheetahs are becoming more demanding with regards to its maintenance and increasing demands of the Services of getting a better, more modern platform, with superior avionics, to meet its requirements of operating in adverse weather conditions like hot climate, cold climate, high altitude pickets, mountains and valleys and the missions over the sea. “The Chetaks and Cheetahs,” said Wg Cdr Unnikrishna, “I have served very successfully for 50 years now and time has come to replace them.

The LUHs are suitably designed and are easy to maintain because of indigenous technology and can be suitably modified to suit the requirements of the buyer. Moreover, with Indian economy looking up, LUH assures us of a big market for its use. India used to earlier tie up with a foreign manufacturer to design a chopper for our use, costing a fortune. Today, we have the technology to design a platform suitable to our needs.”


The LUH has high-tech computers on board, has its own cooling system, which needs to be monitored in hot weather conditions. Similarly, gear box with oil with thermal cooling system, engine and other things that are critical, need to be tested in such hot weather conditions. “So, we parked the chopper on the tarmac, exposed it to the Sun and let it absorb the outside heat, so as to give us data on how the various systems on board are behaving in such trying conditions. There are temperature sensors fitted on the chopper at various points that provide data to the systems monitoring on the ground and on reaching the limit prescribed, it alerts the pilot. There are designers and technicians on the ground who will monitor flaws, if any, and avoid risks,” Wg Cdr Unnikrishna told The Hitavada.


LUH has also has a good civil market, which will flourish ,once the Defence services start using the choppers and its trained Crew and technicians are available after their retirement, to fly in the civil service. HAL is a huge organisation having more than 30,000 employees, with factories in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa, UP and Kerala. “There is one coming up in Goa now. I have been with HAL since 1999 , after retiring from the Indian Air Force and currently stationed at Bangalore,” explained Wg Cdr Unnikrishna Pillay.

Asked about his next visit, Wg Cdr Pillay gave that handsome boyish smile and said, “Yes, but with a Multirole Helicopter, a heavy lift machine, designed by HAL. But, it will take three years for that.”

Asked about his completion of the mission in Nagpur, Wg Cdr Pillay reiterated, “Yes. Now, we fly out on Wednesday and reach Bangalore. We will later go to Leh for the cold weather tests”.

http://thehitavada.com/Encyc/2018/6/6/HAL-carries-out-hot-weather-tests-on-its-LUH-in-city.aspx

 

[indiatester]

There you go. Couldn't get to video mode fast enough.

 

[Manish Khan]

The HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is a single-engine light helicopter designed and under development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India. Along with a derivative, known as the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH), the type is set to replace the HAL Cheetah and HAL Chetak helicopters in service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

During February 2009, India’s defense ministry approved HAL’s proposal to enter the design phase on an indigenous design that could potentially meet the requirements of the competition, as well to explore partnership arrangements

HAL promptly performed preliminary design studies on a prospective 3-tonne light helicopter, powered by a single HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft engine and possessing a range of up to 500 km (270 nm) and a payload capacity of up to 500 kg (1,100 lb). In March 2010, HAL announced that it had decided to proceed on the LUH project alone, without any international partner participating in its development, It is the Advancement in Indian helicopter list.

The LUH is being developed by HAL with the aim of meeting the requirements of both military and civil operators alike. In March 2014, HAL promoted its LUH’s capabilities as a civilian multirole helicopter, noting its ability to carry up to six passengers in an appropriate configuration. While limited series production shall be performed at Bengaluru, HAL intends to perform mass production of the LUH at its new helicopter manufacturing complex at Tumakuru unit; in September 2016, production was reportedly intended to commence around 2018–2019. The Tumakuru assembly line is to complete around 30 LUHs per year by 2019–2020; upon enacting Phase II, which will take another three-four years, production would be ramped up to 60 helicopters per year.

General characteristics

• Crew:2
• Capacity:6 passengers
• Length:49 m (37 ft 8 in)
• Height:38 m (11 ft 1 in) up to the top of the tailfin
• Empty weight:1,910 kg (4,211 lb)
• Max takeoff weight:3,120 kg (6,878 lb)
• Powerplant:1 × HAL/Turbomeca Shakti 1U turboshaft engine, 798 kW (1,070 hp) derated
• Main rotor diameter:6 m (38 ft 1 in)

Performance

• Maximum speed:250 km/h (155 mph; 135 kn)
• Cruise speed:235 km/h (146 mph; 127 kn)
• Never exceed speed:259 km/h (161 mph; 140 kn)
• Range:350 km (217 mi; 189 nmi) with 400 kg payload
• Service ceiling:6,500 m (21,300 ft)
• Rate of climb:66 m/s (1,311 ft/min)

 

[WolfPack86]

HAL Light Utility Helicopter.

 

[WolfPack86]

HAL Light Utility Helicopter.

 

[Pulkit]

Can you share the dates of the capture?

HAL Light Utility Helicopter.

 

[Advaidhya Tiwari]

What is special about these pictures? Why publish them without any caption?

HAL Light Utility Helicopter.

 

[ezsasa]

What is special about these pictures? Why publish them without any caption?

Tail numbers indicates there are atleast three prototypes ready....

 

[ezsasa]

What is special about these pictures? Why publish them without any caption?

Tail numbers indicates there are atleast three prototypes ready....

 

[darshan978]

The HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is a single-engine light helicopter designed and under development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India. Along with a derivative, known as the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH), the type is set to replace the HAL Cheetah and HAL Chetak helicopters in service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

During February 2009, India’s defense ministry approved HAL’s proposal to enter the design phase on an indigenous design that could potentially meet the requirements of the competition, as well to explore partnership arrangements

HAL promptly performed preliminary design studies on a prospective 3-tonne light helicopter, powered by a single HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft engine and possessing a range of up to 500 km (270 nm) and a payload capacity of up to 500 kg (1,100 lb). In March 2010, HAL announced that it had decided to proceed on the LUH project alone, without any international partner participating in its development, It is the Advancement in Indian helicopter list.

The LUH is being developed by HAL with the aim of meeting the requirements of both military and civil operators alike. In March 2014, HAL promoted its LUH’s capabilities as a civilian multirole helicopter, noting its ability to carry up to six passengers in an appropriate configuration. While limited series production shall be performed at Bengaluru, HAL intends to perform mass production of the LUH at its new helicopter manufacturing complex at Tumakuru unit; in September 2016, production was reportedly intended to commence around 2018–2019. The Tumakuru assembly line is to complete around 30 LUHs per year by 2019–2020; upon enacting Phase II, which will take another three-four years, production would be ramped up to 60 helicopters per year.

General characteristics

• Crew:2
• Capacity:6 passengers
• Length:49 m (37 ft 8 in)
• Height:38 m (11 ft 1 in) up to the top of the tailfin
• Empty weight:1,910 kg (4,211 lb)
• Max takeoff weight:3,120 kg (6,878 lb)
• Powerplant:1 × HAL/Turbomeca Shakti 1U turboshaft engine, 798 kW (1,070 hp) derated
• Main rotor diameter:6 m (38 ft 1 in)

Performance

• Maximum speed:250 km/h (155 mph; 135 kn)
• Cruise speed:235 km/h (146 mph; 127 kn)
• Never exceed speed:259 km/h (161 mph; 140 kn)
• Range:350 km (217 mi; 189 nmi) with 400 kg payload
• Service ceiling:6,500 m (21,300 ft)
• Rate of climb:66 m/s (1,311 ft/min)

View attachment 26237

........................................

 

[darshan978]

The HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is a single-engine light helicopter designed and under development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India. Along with a derivative, known as the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH), the type is set to replace the HAL Cheetah and HAL Chetak helicopters in service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

During February 2009, India’s defense ministry approved HAL’s proposal to enter the design phase on an indigenous design that could potentially meet the requirements of the competition, as well to explore partnership arrangements

HAL promptly performed preliminary design studies on a prospective 3-tonne light helicopter, powered by a single HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft engine and possessing a range of up to 500 km (270 nm) and a payload capacity of up to 500 kg (1,100 lb). In March 2010, HAL announced that it had decided to proceed on the LUH project alone, without any international partner participating in its development, It is the Advancement in Indian helicopter list.

The LUH is being developed by HAL with the aim of meeting the requirements of both military and civil operators alike. In March 2014, HAL promoted its LUH’s capabilities as a civilian multirole helicopter, noting its ability to carry up to six passengers in an appropriate configuration. While limited series production shall be performed at Bengaluru, HAL intends to perform mass production of the LUH at its new helicopter manufacturing complex at Tumakuru unit; in September 2016, production was reportedly intended to commence around 2018–2019. The Tumakuru assembly line is to complete around 30 LUHs per year by 2019–2020; upon enacting Phase II, which will take another three-four years, production would be ramped up to 60 helicopters per year.

General characteristics

• Crew:2
• Capacity:6 passengers
• Length:49 m (37 ft 8 in)
• Height:38 m (11 ft 1 in) up to the top of the tailfin
• Empty weight:1,910 kg (4,211 lb)
• Max takeoff weight:3,120 kg (6,878 lb)
• Powerplant:1 × HAL/Turbomeca Shakti 1U turboshaft engine, 798 kW (1,070 hp) derated
• Main rotor diameter:6 m (38 ft 1 in)

Performance

• Maximum speed:250 km/h (155 mph; 135 kn)
• Cruise speed:235 km/h (146 mph; 127 kn)
• Never exceed speed:259 km/h (161 mph; 140 kn)
• Range:350 km (217 mi; 189 nmi) with 400 kg payload
• Service ceiling:6,500 m (21,300 ft)
• Rate of climb:66 m/s (1,311 ft/min)

View attachment 26237

........................................

 

[abingdonboy]

Tail numbers indicates there are atleast three prototypes ready....

Yes, there are 3 TDs and that is all that is planned, only if there is a serious issue will more TDs be made.

 

[Pulkit]

Hye Guys been away from forum for some time now.
Can anyone please update me incase any progress has been mode in the last few months?

I am asking only after reading last two to three pages of comments...
why are the threads dead are there no updates ...... thats not good....

 

[abingdonboy]

Hye Guys been away from forum for some time now.
Can anyone please update me incase any progress has been mode in the last few months?

I am asking only after reading last two to three pages of comments...
why are the threads dead are there no updates ...... thats not good....

Hot and high tests ongoing. IOC in early 2019. Production commenced around mid-2019

 

[Pulkit]

Hot and high tests ongoing. IOC in early 2019. Production commenced around mid-2019

Thanks
Fingers crossed though i am pretty sure its gonna face delays again...

 

[indiatester]

Hye Guys been away from forum for some time now.
Can anyone please update me incase any progress has been mode in the last few months?

I am asking only after reading last two to three pages of comments...
why are the threads dead are there no updates ...... thats not good....

I keep seeing it on and off, but never long enough to click a decent picture. It surely is low noise though (may be my perception).

 

[Pulkit]

I keep seeing it on and off, but never long enough to click a decent picture. It surely is low noise though (may be my perception).

lucky here we are just waiting for som egood news ....

 

[captscooby81]

LUH clears 6 km altitude in Bangalore next is going for Cold weather and high altitude trails next month

 

[Shashwat]

3rd prototype flew for the first time -