5
2012
IAF Procuring 75 Pilatus Aircraft
An article by DSA Team
Fulfilling Air Force’s long-pending requirement, government cleared a proposal worth over Rs 1,800 crore for procuring 75 Pilatus aircraft from Switzerland to train its rookie pilots. The decision was taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The aircraft are being procured by the IAF to provide training to its new pilots and replace the HPT-32 trainer aircraft which have been grounded for over two years after a fatal accident in 2009, Defence Ministry officials said. The delivery of the planes is expected to begin by the middle of 2013. Since 2009, the IAF has relied on Kiran Mk II aircraft for providing basic training to its young pilots. Advanced training to them is provided on the Hawk aircraft procured from the UK. The Air Force also plans to send some of its young pilots to Switzerland for training till the delivery of initial batch of 12 aircraft commences in 2013.
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After SU 30 MK,Herculus,….
One more aircraft…
What happen about LCA,I think it’s also a trainer cum figher aircraft…
Can’t we make at least one trainer aircraft after indipendece of 65 years?
Why not we train our pilot through simulator,UAB?
Can’t we purchase technology and then make our own aircraft?
@ankush Would you be willing to board a flight piloted by a person for the first time after being trained entirely on a simulator? Simulator flying is done only to cut down on the cost of actual flying, and is not a substitute. Your comment on the lack of indigenous aircraft is valid and has a lot to do with the way our govt scientists and labs function. We are poor at basic research and the trend of our young people to shy away from basic sciences leaves a shortfall in people who can work on the fundamentals. We are better at reverse engineering – an easier way out which provides faster returns, but that is where it ends.