Naval LCA carries out ‘HOT REFUELLING’

[special]

Anantha Krishnan M has tweeted last image of Naval LCA carrying out ‘Hot refuelling’ in HAL premises in Bengaluru . Meaning of ‘hot refuelling’ means Fueling With Engines Operating. Hot refueling is performed only when operations require rapid turnaround of aircraft, since hot refuel-ing is significantly more dangerous and costly interms of fuel and manpower expenditures. Only pres-sure hot refueling is performed.

A minimum of three ground crew personnel are required for each hot-refueling operation. ‘Hot refuelling’ becomes necessary in case of missing Aerial mid air refuellers in active combat patrol zone .

The Indian Navy might order up to 40 single-seaters to replace its Sea Harrier FRS.51 and Harrier T.60. In December 2014 the LCA Navy successfully conducted ski-jump trials at SBTF Goa. The navy variant has a special flight control law mode which allows hands-free take-off relieving the pilot workload, as the aircraft leaps from the ramp and automatically puts the aircraft in an ascending trajectory.

The naval Tejas will also have a strengthened spine, a longer and stronger undercarriage, and powered nose wheel steering for deck manoeuvrability. The Tejas trainer variant will have "aerodynamic commonality" with the two-seat naval aircraft design.

Defence News - Naval LCA carries out ‘HOT REFUELLING’

 

[The_Sidewinder]

Nice to see N-LCA taking shape with capabilities added one after snother.

 

[kakathiya]

Next will be mid air refueling

INDIAN NAVY lage raho, "you rock", if this goes on the army and air force will be still buying foreign maal and navy would have become self sufficient and have become a true desi sena

Friday, April 30, 2010
Nervous Indian Oil Corp Refuses To "Hot Refuel" Gripen During MMRCA Evaluation Tests

The Gripen team in India is understood to have tried hard to push for the chance to demonstrate the fighter's "hot refuelling" capability, but was unable to do so after Indian Oil Aviation -- the standard supplier of aviation fuel to the Indian Air Force -- refused to be part of such an exercise. Hot refueling is a process by which a fighter is refuelled (in between sorties) while its engines are still on, thereby cutting down refuelling time by half and turn-around time significantly -- a capacity highly desirable in a combat situation, which basically puts aside the need for a pilot to park the aircraft, power down and exit the cockpit for refuelling to begin.

According to sources, the Gripen team was very keen to demonstrate the hot refuelling capability -- even the IAF had no problems witnessing the demonstration even though it wasn't required as part of the tests -- but the offer was shot down by Indian Oil, which said it had never conducted a hot refueling operation before, and wasn't sure it was equipped to take the risk, despite assurances from Saab that it was standard practice with the Gripen. Hot refueling, it must be said, does have its share of risks.

The incident has, however, had its effect. The IAF is now keen to witness a hot refueling demonstration, and will look favourably upon such a capability in its final evaluation of the MMRCA competition. Also, it has requested Indian Oil Aviation to set about getting itself certified for hot refueling ops for the future. IOC will need to look abroad for any sort of certification. Hot refueling trucks and crews in the US, for example, receive special training and certification from an agency in the USAF command structure.

THIS SHOWS THAT HOT REFUELING IS NOT A SIMPLE THING