Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas developed by HAL has passed cold weather test at Leh.

“The aircraft made three consecutive starts using indigenous gas turbine starter at - (minus)15 degrees with 85 per cent charged battery a few days ago. Prior to the start, the aircraft was cold soaked for 18-20 hours (even 42 hours on one occasion) outside the hangar in Leh and no heating source was used for starting”, said T Suvarna Raju, Chairman, HAL.

This success is a feather in the cap for HAL which used the aircraft in natural surroundings rather than using external heating arrangements for starting aircraft engines at such low temperatures.

A team of more than 15 engineers and technicians from HAL worked to solve the peculiar problems faced in starting a Gas Turbine Engine in the ratified and cold atmospheres found at Leh.

The gas turbine starter unit of HAL used to start the engine for LCA has been designed, developed and manufactured by HAL’s aero engine R&D centre and Aero Engine Research and Design Centre (AERDC).

The first success was the rig trials with a modified starting schedule conducted at Leh (3,260 meter altitude) in July and August 2014. During this period HAL also successfully demonstrated the start capability of its starter even at a high altitude of 5.6 km.

The HAL received external support from Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), CEMILAC, DGAQA, IAF-PMT, NFTC and others for this mission.

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