LCA Tejas Engines failed during high-altitude trials in Leh

[SpArK]

in high-altitude areas as recently during trials in Leh, its engine "did not work".

Tejas Winter Trials At Leh Last Month






So in Leh it flew without engine...

 

[Skull and Bones]

maa ki aakh
ek aur delay

Doesn't seems so, as it is mentioned, Su-30MKI have gone through same modifications to operate at such heights.

 

[dbc]

So in Leh it flew without engine...

May be the great Indian Rope and pulley trick, lessons learnt from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

 

[SpArK]

May be the great Indian Rope and pulley trick, lessons learnt from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Wrong ....its the vanishing beauty trick passed with ToT by Houdini aviation corporation.

 

[Esc8781]

The tejas might be proving its good enough, since it might be doing air start testing. Since it is a single-engine fighter it might require so. This proves the LCA's reliability.

The F-35 (also a single-engine fighter) has also did this.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/embed/ue5g1jPGxu0[/video]

 

[Audio]

Invasion of Tibet!

 

[Hellraiser007]

as expected another delay
LCA Tejas will not get operational before 2017/18

India already knows the problem and the problem is with US engines and fuel mix, this problem can be rectified quickly.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

We had the same problems with the MiG-29 in the 80's and S-30 MK in 2000,so when we informed the Russians they tweaked the Engine and advised IAF to slightly change the fuel mix.
Source:The Statesman (November 2000).
Guess we will have to do the same here.

These were not the only aircraft to have this kind of problem. During the MMRCA down-select process there were high altitude tests carried out at Leh also. And it seems that 3 of the 5 aircraft failed that test. They were speculated to include the SH and Gripen. Leh is one of the highest operational air-bases in the world. The atmospheric pressure there is only about 1/4th of that at MSL. One of the hardest tests of an aircraft engine.

 

[Skull and Bones]

These were not the only aircraft to have this kind of problem. During the MMRCA down-select process there were high altitude tests carried out at Leh also. And it seems that 3 of the 5 aircraft failed that test. They were speculated to include the SH and Gripen. Leh is one of the highest operational air-bases in the world. The atmospheric pressure there is only about 1/4th of that at MSL. One of the hardest tests of an aircraft engine.

What might be the problems? Less thrust generated by the engine during take off because of lower air density?

 

[Audio]

What might be the problems? Less thrust generated by the engine during take off because of lower air density?

Ye.......also i believe max takeoff weight gets reduced when operating from high altitude, meaning less fuel/weapons.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

What might be the problems? Less thrust generated by the engine during take off because of lower air density?

Low thrust is one problem; but in this case it may not have been the problem. Since the Tejas has an service ceiling higher than the altitude of Leh.

Its probably because the test involved the aircraft to land; shut down; cool down to ambient temperature and then take off with a designated payload. That is how the test was for the MMRCA trials. Probably that is the reason.

 

[karan.1970]

Even the Su-30, when it was taken to Leh, it had to be modified. So, the LCA will have to be modified.

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/indian...g-high-altitude-trials-leh.html#ixzz2K2AfJyRl

...................................

 

[Skull and Bones]

Ye.......also i believe max takeoff weight gets reduced when operating from high altitude, meaning less fuel/weapons.

Isn't this problem obvious for every fighter jet? As Gripen, F-18 SH and Mig-35 failed this test.

Can there be any modification to fix it?

 

[anant_s]

Heard first squadron of LCA is going to be based in Tamilnadu (Sulur) and by the time additional pieces are manufactured, HAL and designers have sufficient times to rectify the trouble. Its true that even in MMRCA several contestants had problem in engine starting in rarified atmosphere, so this shouldn't be a big problem to sort out.

As for 2015 FOC, FINGERS CROSSED

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Isn't this problem obvious for every fighter jet? As Gripen, F-18 SH and Mig-35 failed this test.

Can there be any modification to fix it?

Going by @Gandalf's post above (where he quotes The Statesman in 2000) there is a fix and it was carried out to the MiG-29s and Su-30s.