Second prototype of Light Utility Helicopter makes first flight - Charles D'Alberto
The second prototype of the Light Utility Helicopter, LUH PT2, made its first flight in Bengaluru on Monday and flew smoothly for 22 minutes, its creator Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd said on Tuesday. The flight was described as free of any snag.
The three-tonne-class LUH is being developed as a reconnaissance and surveillance vehicle for military and civil users.
HAL said it expected to freeze the helicopter's design by the end of this year. After necessary certification, it would manufacture it along with its components at its facility coming up in Tumakuru.
Towards that, it was improving the flight envelop or range of PT1 and would conduct a few more test flights of the two versions in the coming months.
The second prototype has a modified tail boom and other improvements over PT1, which first flew on September 6, 2016 and later during the February Aero India 2017.
HAL CMD T. Suvarna Raju called it a part of their Make in India campaign in rotary and fixed wing aircraft.
When ready, the LUH is designed to fly 350 km at a speed of 220 kmph; it can reach a maximum height of 6.5 km and carry a payload of 400 kg.
Chief Test Pilot Wing Cdr (retd) Unni K. Pillai and Test Pilot Wing Cdr (retd) Anil Bhambhani piloted the helicopter.
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