HAL revs up aero engine for trainer, helicopters

Indigenously-designed and developed aero engine for trainer aircraft was on Monday revved up fully for the first time at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) complex here in presence of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The 25kN (kilonewton) Hindustan turbo fan engine (HTFE-25) can be used for basic, intermediate and advanced trainer aircraft.

Parrikar also initiated the design and development of Hindustan turbo shaft engine (HTSE-1200) for light utility helicopters of 3.5-tonne class in solo configuration and of 5-8 tonne class in twin configuration of advanced light helicopters like Dhru and light combat helicopters, rolled out by the defence behemoth.

"The turboshaft engine develops 1200 kW (kilowatt) power at sea level and can operate up to 7km altitude," HAL said in a statement here on the occasion.

"Efforts should be made to achieve excellence in aeronautical engineering with the participation of HAL and private sector. The aerospace sector, led by HAL. has potential to turn India into a aerospace manufacturing hub, as the country will require 4,000-6,000 helicopter engines in the coming years," Parrkiar told reporters at the event.

The Aero Engine Research and Design Centre and HAL had designed and developed the 25 kN thrust class turbofan engine for basic military trainer aircraft.

"The engine can also be used on business jets and five tonne class aircraft in single engine configuration and on aircraft of up to nine tonne class with twin engine configuration," said HAL chairman and managing director T. Suvarna Raju.

The HTSE project is being funded through internal resources of HAL to design and develop complex aero engines for different types of choppers.

"In the first phase, we have covered the engine design, developing and testing it, and will take up its production in the subsequent phases along with testing of the full engine," Raju said.