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IAF flight training to suffer with Kirans retirement
Notwithstanding the recent inclusion of the Pilatus basic trainer, flight training of Indian Air Force will continue to suffer as it is set to lose its Kiran intermediate jet trainer with no replacement in sight.
Rookie pilots in the Air Force have been trained on Kiran Mk 1/1A aircraft since 2009 after the grounding of HPT-32 basic trainer fleet. Before the switch, Kiran was used for stage-II training at the IAF academy, Dundigal. Now, IAF has a brand new basic trainer.
But it is in no position to go back to its old training schedule of Stage-I and II flying in the absence of an intermediate jet trainer (IJT), which is being built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the last 14 years.
As Kirans are slated to be phased out in 2014 with IJT nowhere on the horizon, the Defence Ministry and IAF recently informed a Parliamentary panel they did not have a contingency plan in place for intermediate training. This raises the possibility of having a void in intermediate jet training in the same manner as was seen in the basic training.
HAL now claims it will receive the initial operational clearance (IOC) for IJT by December 2013. But there is no clarity on how long the aviaton major would take to get the subsequent final operational clearance as only the second prototype of IJT is now being produced in a limited series production assembly.
Moreover, HAL is still in consultation with BAE system manufacturer of Hawk advanced jet trainer to resolve the design issues.The first squadron of 14 Pilatus will be inducted in the IAF by May end. The first batch of pilots will receive their flying training in Pilatus from July. The second squadron of Pilatus will go to Flying Instructors School in Ambala.
The IAF will receive the entire fleet of 75 Pilatus basic trainer aircraft by 2015.
Previously, IAF pilots used to receive 75 hours of stage-I flying training in basic aircraft and similar hours of stage-II training in intermediate trainer Kiran. They could fly advanced trainers like Hawks and operational platforms only after commissioning.
Shortage of aircraft, however, compelled the IAF to recalibrate its training schedule. Now the stage-I training lasts for only 30 hours and stage-II by around 80 hours. Kiran remains the only platform for both stages, though it is nearing its scheduled life.
The newcomers get more flying experience in Hawks now.
IAF flight training to suffer with Kiran's retirement
Notwithstanding the recent inclusion of the Pilatus basic trainer, flight training of Indian Air Force will continue to suffer as it is set to lose its Kiran intermediate jet trainer with no replacement in sight.
Rookie pilots in the Air Force have been trained on Kiran Mk 1/1A aircraft since 2009 after the grounding of HPT-32 basic trainer fleet. Before the switch, Kiran was used for stage-II training at the IAF academy, Dundigal. Now, IAF has a brand new basic trainer.
But it is in no position to go back to its old training schedule of Stage-I and II flying in the absence of an intermediate jet trainer (IJT), which is being built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the last 14 years.
As Kirans are slated to be phased out in 2014 with IJT nowhere on the horizon, the Defence Ministry and IAF recently informed a Parliamentary panel they did not have a contingency plan in place for intermediate training. This raises the possibility of having a void in intermediate jet training in the same manner as was seen in the basic training.
HAL now claims it will receive the initial operational clearance (IOC) for IJT by December 2013. But there is no clarity on how long the aviaton major would take to get the subsequent final operational clearance as only the second prototype of IJT is now being produced in a limited series production assembly.
Moreover, HAL is still in consultation with BAE system manufacturer of Hawk advanced jet trainer to resolve the design issues.The first squadron of 14 Pilatus will be inducted in the IAF by May end. The first batch of pilots will receive their flying training in Pilatus from July. The second squadron of Pilatus will go to Flying Instructors School in Ambala.
The IAF will receive the entire fleet of 75 Pilatus basic trainer aircraft by 2015.
Previously, IAF pilots used to receive 75 hours of stage-I flying training in basic aircraft and similar hours of stage-II training in intermediate trainer Kiran. They could fly advanced trainers like Hawks and operational platforms only after commissioning.
Shortage of aircraft, however, compelled the IAF to recalibrate its training schedule. Now the stage-I training lasts for only 30 hours and stage-II by around 80 hours. Kiran remains the only platform for both stages, though it is nearing its scheduled life.
The newcomers get more flying experience in Hawks now.
IAF flight training to suffer with Kiran's retirement
