Army Chief flies in Tejas, LCH

Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Thursday flew in indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) at the Aero India 2019 air show here.

"It was a wonderful experience flying the LCA. The avionics of the aircraft was very good. I could see the manner in which the pilot was accurately targeting in radar and other modes," he told the media after the sortie.

The combat fighter was piloted by Air Vice Marshal N. Tiwari while Gen Rawat the co-pilot in the tandem-seater.

The aircraft, once added to Indian Air Force's (IAF) operational fleet, will be a strength, Gen Rawat said.

The LCH was piloted by HAL's test pilot Wing Commander S. John.

Terming the sortie in LCH the experience of a lifetime, Gen Rawat said it was suitable for the Army to take on adversaries in any terrain and different altitudes.

HAL Chairman R. Madhavan, Helicopter complex chief executive G.V.S Bhaskar, and HAL chief test pilot Wing Commander Unni Pillai briefed the Army Chief about the LCH before the sortie.

--IANS

fb/vd