Indigenously designed and developed Kaveri engine that will power fighter aircraft, especially Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, was successfully flight-tested on Wednesday. The flight-test took place at the Gromov Flight Research Institute (GFRI) in Moscow., The engine is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
An Ilyushin-76 cargo aircraft was modified as a flying-test bed for the trial, with the Kaveri engine replacing one of its four engines. The engine ran right from the take-off to the landing of the aircraft. It flew for about an hour up to an altitude of 6,000 metres at a speed of 0.6 Mach. The modifications in the aircraft included instrumentation and integration of its mechanical, electrical and fuel systems. . A number of taxiing trials were done with the engine integrated with the aircraft before the flight. The data generated was transmitted to the ground station by telemetry.
“The engine's control, performance and health during the flight were found to be excellent. With this test, it has crossed a milestone in its development programme. Years of hard work have fructified,” said DRDO's Director of Public Interface Ravi Kumar Gupta.
The engine is being developed at the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a DRDO laboratory in Bangalore, with support from other DRDO laboratories, academic institutions and industries.
In the coming months, 50 to 60 flight tests will be done to mature the engine in terms of its reliability, safety and airworthiness. The trials will pave the way for further flight trials with fighter aircraft. A team of 20 scientists from the GTRE have been working with the GFRI for the trials.
The engine had completed component, safety and endurance tests both at the GTRE and facilities abroad, a DRDO press release said.
