DRDO conducts successful maiden flight test of Kaveri Engine
November 4th, 2010 - 9:39 pm ICT by ANINew Delhi, Nov 4 (ANI): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the indigenously designed and developed ‘Kaveri Engine’ during the Flying Test Bed (FTB) Trials at Gromov Flight Research Institute (GFRI), Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday.
The engine was tested from take-off to landing and flew for a period of over one hour up to at an altitude of 6000m at a speed of 0.6 mach in its maiden flight.
The engine control, engine performance and engine health during the flight were found to be excellent. With this test, Kaveri Engine has completed a major milestone of the development program.
During the coming months further 50-60 test flights will be carried out to mature the engine in terms of reliability, safety and airworthiness. These trials would pave the way for further flight trials of Kaveri Engine with a fighter aircraft.
An existing IL-76 aircraft was modified as a Flying Test Bed for this trial, with Kaveri engine replacing one of the four engines of the aircraft.
The modifications included instrumentation required for trials as well as integration of mechanical, electrical and fuel system. The pilot from the cockpit controlled the engine.
A number of taxi trials were carried out with Kaveri Engine integrated with the aircraft, before this maiden flight. The engine data was recorded in the aircraft as well as transmitted to ground station by telemetry.
A team of 20 scientists from DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment has been working along with GFRI for these trials.
Dr Prahlada, Chief Controller, Research and Development (Aeronautics & Services Interaction), while addressing the media persons about the significance of the first flight said: “Kaveri engine is being developed for fighter aircraft, at Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a DRDO laboratory based in Bangalore with the active support of several other DRDO labs, academic institutions and industry partners.”
“During the development phase, Kaveri engine has successfully completed various stages of development including component testing, safety tests, ground based engine tests, endurance tests etc, both at GTRE as well as test facilities abroad,” he added. (ANI)
- India flight tests indigenous jet engine in Moscow - Nov 04, 2010
- Kaveri engine completes tests in Russia - May 02, 2011
- Kaveri engine to be installed in 2018 - Sep 16, 2010
- India test flies naval variant of LCA (Lead) - Apr 28, 2012
- GE Aviation engine bid lowest for India's jet fighter - Sep 30, 2010
- GE engine set to power India's indigenous combat fighter (Lead) - Sep 30, 2010
- Naval LCA engine test successful - Sep 27, 2011
- India test-flies naval version of LCA - Apr 27, 2012
- Embraer aircraft with Indian warning system to fly by 2011 - Sep 12, 2010
- Embraer jet for Indian airborne radar flight tested - Dec 07, 2011
- Second indigenous airborne radar flight tested - Apr 05, 2012
- Beg, borrow or steal: IAF chief's advice to defence scientists - Oct 19, 2011
- India successfully tests second indigenous airborne radar flight (Lead) - Apr 05, 2012
- Defence technologies transferred to India not the best: Antony (Lead) - Feb 07, 2011
- India's own fighter jet Tejas to join air force Monday - Jan 09, 2011
Tags: academic institutions, amp services, chief controller, control engine performance, defence research, development organisation, engine health, fighter aircraft, first flight, flight research institute, flight test, flight trials, gas turbine research, gromov, maiden flight, media persons, moscow russia, research establishment, test bed, test flights