HAL's first HTT-40 series production aircraft takes maiden flight in Bengaluru, set to train next-gen air warriors

Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) on Friday announced that its first Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 series production aircraft, TH 4001, which will train the Air Force personnel, completed its maiden flight at HAL's facility in Bengaluru.

HAL shared a post on their official 'X' handle and informed about the development. TH 4001is a fully aerobatic, tandem-seat turboprop aircraft designed for basic flight training and night flying.

"The first Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) Series Production aircraft, TH 4001, which will train the next generation Air Warriors, took to the skies at the HAL facility in Bengaluru today. HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft is a fully aerobatic, tandem-seat, turboprop aircraft built to provide basic flight training, aerobatics, instrument flying, and night flying," HAL wrote in their 'X' post.

This fully aerobatic tandem-seat turbo trainer will have an air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics, hot refuelling, quick pilot changeover, and zero-zero ejection seats. Built around a proven turboprop engine, this aircraft is designed to offer good low-speed handling for improved training effectiveness, according to HAL's website.

The aircraft is fitted with a Glass Cockpit and Indigenously developed Avionics, viz., Radio Communication, Standby Communication, VOR-ILS, TACAN, Radio Altimeter, Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF), and Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS). A Honeywell TPE331-12B Turboprop engine powers the HTT-40.

Earlier on October 17, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the second Production Line of Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) at the Nashik facility of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). He also flagged off the first LCA Mk1A produced at the facility. He also inaugurated the third Production Line of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A

"India must always stay ahead in this new race, and not lag behind," he said, exhorting HAL to make its mark in the fields of next-generation aircraft, unmanned systems & civil aviation, and not limit itself to LCA Tejas or HTT-40.

As the Defence Minister voiced the Government's commitment to induct state-of-the-art indigenous technologies, he appreciated the role of HAL in carrying forward the vision, terming the Defence Public Sector Undertaking as the backbone of India's defence sector. While he praised HAL for providing operational support to the recently decommissioned MiG-21, he also highlighted its valuable contribution during Operation Sindoor.