LCH’s Hover-Cyclic Flight At 20-metres Successful

The first Technology Demonstrator (TD-1) of India’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) conducted an extended hover and slow-speed cyclic manoeuver routine yesterday at a height of a little over 20 metres. Everything went beautifully. TD-1 is not weaponised, and will be put through its full flight routines without a single weapon on board. Yesterday’s flight was a confidence-building one in the run up to a formal first flight. Sources say there will be several such “confidence building” flights in the run up to the inaugural first flight in April. Wing Commander Unni Pillai piloted the LCH flight yesterday.

Sources confirmed to LiveFist, “Everything went beautifully. It was not a rigorous test, just to get the platform airborne and see how she held up in the air. Everything went fine. A degree of weight issues have been sorted out, but there is still some work to be done. That will be sorted out with TD-2 and TD-3. Now the focus is to validate the design and ensure it is a perfectly capable flying machine, which we of course know it is.”

HAL has decided not to put out photos of videos of the flight, though it was , of course, photographed and videographed. Let’s see what can be done!

10 thoughts on “LCH’s Hover-Cyclic Flight At 20-metres Successful”

  1. Great news!

    I have a couple of thoughts:

    1. Weight Issues – If it can fly low and fast in Rajasthan and Punjab, then lets just induct it. If it is not able to perform in Leh, well lets not station it in Leh.

    2. The IAF or Army Aviation will have to work hard and creatively, to work out tactics and strategy for the most effective use of this platform. Especially given the fact that this platform armed with cutting edge sensors and Nag missiles will have devastating capabilities, and at the same time, due to its low and slow nature will be quite vulnerable to MANPADS.

  2. @KVR…

    obviously.. its gonna look something like the existing ones… you cant have an attack helicopter which looks like an "AMBASSADOR CAR" so that ppl can say.."Nw this is genuine Indian design"

    😀

    (on the lighter side)

  3. Ambassador car:)). Good one. I hope that we don't become "that" desi just to prove that this is an 'Indian' design. Whatever , its a good step forward – I hope it becomes a leap forward. I mean this can provide integral fire support for the Army leaving the Air Force free for Air Dominance.

  4. Well, to be honest I do not find more comfortable car than Ambassador. Just try the new models they are the best. 🙂

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