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Of course there are no two opinions about the safety of the trainee pilots when it comes to Pliatus vs HTT-40 or HTT-32,HTT-32's stall problems are not yet solved. Last crash killed 2 experienced instructors. HTT-32's airframes have life upto 2025, if problem can be solved. Many parents of pilots killed petition to meet the Chief and demand to know why their sons have been killed, and he has to answer them.Even i, as a layman, would hesitate to support HTT-40 solution of HAL, unless the problems and issues are solved. After doing some quick searching, i find HAL officials silent on HTT-32 fleet grounded (When Su-30 and Dhruv were grounded, HAL had promised to sort issues, and fleets were re-inducted). Best "fix" HAL has come up with is a parachute, to land the plane after it has stalled ! The CAG have described the HTT-32 as outdated and having safety problems, which HAL have not contested.
PC-7 is proven, safe and reliable platform. Instructors and IAF Commanders can concentrate on getting rookies up and running as per schedules, and concentrate on core issues instead of fire fighting , and being blamed for pliots deaths, etc.
To move forward, and support indigestion, HAL should be given a mandate to vigorously solve the HTT-32's problems, make design changes, and document the issues. When this is done, they can build the next generation , based on the HTT-32.
HTT-32's problems are not simple fixes. The probable culprits are the Engine, Fuel Injection system and the Air frame itself. The OEM, Lycoming is not willing to support.
I support indegenisation, even scrap the MMRCA deal and induct LCA seems good idea. But HTT-40 is a dangerous proposition, and safe and reliable platform is better choice.
But if there are problems in HTT-32 it must have been in the fuel pump or engine, both of them are imported not designed and fabricated by HAL. So with some foreign consultation it could have been solved in the last decade itself.
Sure IAF or HAL or MOD could have asked the Russians or french from whom we are buying billions of dollars worth of hardware to look into it.
But nothing has been done. I don't think there can be any problem with airframes, Because trainers are supposed to have enough glide ratios to land safely even if the engine stalls, like it is specified for HTT-40 and Pliatus,
Surely IAF would have specified some glide ratios for the HTT-32 also. SO there can't be any problem with airframe unless the trainer breaks apart completely in mid air!!!
Also no one stopped IAF from giving consent o HAL's HTT_35 proposal for a decade. HAL must have developed the mock up for the HTT-35 at the behest of MOD or IAF. But it was cold shouldered by IAF for a decade begs an answer.
Also there is no reason for IAF chief to ask HTT_40 developmental effort to be wound up!!!!! Does the IAF chief expects Indian pilots to train on Pliatus for ever?
IAF chief should ask the MOD to give HAL enough resources or spare some money from it's own budget for the trainer, besides HAL participation in FGFA, Because continued import of trainers will only eat into it's budget in he long term. Has the IAF chief oblivious to this simple fact?
It is hard to digest that the country which completes huge technological challenges like Tejas, IRBMs and Arihant can not resolve the simple fuel pump problems of a trainer, Whose mistake is it? HALs or IAFs or the devil may care attitude of the MOD which supervises the HAL?
IAF could have even asked ADA to sort out the fuel pump problem of HTT-32, Sure it would not have been a huge mountain to climb.
Like the GOI's stupid decision in the 1960s and 70s not to advance a princely sum of 5Cr for BRISTOL to develop a higher thrust version engine for the MARUT which killed the whole aviation industry , this HTT-32 issue also ranks as one of the mysterious blunders leading to billion dollar foreign exchange bleeding and making Indian industry a laughing stock of the world.
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