HAL modifies, flies Intermediate Jet Trainer

The Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) project, plagued by mishaps and delays, is back with a bang. State-owned aviation major, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Wednesday recommenced flight testing of a modified IJT aircraft from its Bengaluru facility.

The flight was flawless and its success is an important step, HAL said in an official statement. The indigenous IJT programme was launched in the early 2000s to replace the ageing Kiran trainer fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Designed and developed by HAL, the IJT (HJT-36)'s flight testing for the stage-II training of IAF pilots had been put on hold. This was after the aircraft encountered problem in the spin test flights during 2016.

HAL Chairman and Managing Director, R Madhavan indicated that despite being put on the backburner, work on the project was on. “HAL continued its R&D efforts and undertook modification of IJT LSP4 aircraft based on extensive and comprehensive wind tunnel studies,” he explained.

HAL’s research, design and technical teams, he said, carried out the modifications required with more challenges ahead.

Two prototypes of IJT were built after the project kicked off in 1999. But despite its maiden flight in 2003, the project was plagued by delays. It suffered the first big setback when one of the prototypes went off the runway as thousands watched at the Yelahanka Air Base here during Aero India 2007.

The second prototype suffered another mishap during a test sortie in Tamilnadu's Krishnagiri. This flight test was critical since its success would have helped the project progress to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) stage. But the second mishap meant the IJT would totally disappear from HAL's and IAF's priority list.

Although Wednesday's flight did not undertake any test or manoeuvres, HAL sees it is as a big push for the IJT project. Subsequent trials are expected to focus more on addressing the design flaws that have delayed the aircraft's induction into the IAF for years.