India HAL Tejas Program

Spitfire9

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Too many approvals needed for anything to progress.

HAL chief on Tejas Mk1A - "The only thing awaited now is the approval for some software changes in the Astra missile."

Indian bureaucracy is a millstone around the neck of Indian fighter projects. If the Astra/Tejas Mk1A combination now works, the aircraft should be delivered, not languish in hangars waiting for bureaucrats to clear it for delivery. It might be the Indian way of getting things done but in reality it is a good way of not getting things done.
 

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Mk2 rollout probably H1 2026?
FF probably H2 2026/H1 2027?
Testing complete 2029/2030?

I wonder where the Mk2 will be assembled. In 2030 the 2 HAL plants in Bengaluru will be busy assembling Mk1A. Nashik will be busy assembling Mk1A and possibly Su-30MKI.

Will there be a gap of a year or two between certification and start of production?
 

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IC3M@N FX

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It was probably too late for the poor pilot to eject.
This was hardly good publicity for the Tejas aircraft, regardless of whether it was pilot error or a mechanical fault.
 

Sanchez

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It was probably too late for the poor pilot to eject.
This was hardly good publicity for the Tejas aircraft, regardless of whether it was pilot error or a mechanical fault.
Looks to be pilot; even if aircraft gave in midway through, too low. RIP.
 

IC3M@N FX

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Can someone recheck the plane number if is the plane they crashed.
 

Sanchez

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Aircraft can leak oil, I vividly remember the US aggressor F-18s leaking oil on the ramp like drunkards. Some say that was not oil but water instead, also possible.

Regardless, it's an active duty aircraft of the air force without known issues. Tejas is many things, but it doesn't just lock up and crash. This looks like a very clear case of pilot error to me.

Was the APU smoking? Or was that smoke for the show?
APU exhaust should be up top. Smoke generators are on the wing pylons as fake missiles. Interesting.
 

Afif

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Aircraft can leak oil, I vividly remember the US aggressor F-18s leaking oil on the ramp like drunkards. Some say that was not oil but water instead, also possible.

Regardless, it's an active duty aircraft of the air force without known issues. Tejas is many things, but it doesn't just lock up and crash. This looks like a very clear case of pilot error to me.


APU exhaust should be up top. Smoke generators are on the wing pylons as fake missiles. Interesting.

There is another video from a different angle where it seems something poped inside the engine right before it start rolling down. Maybe a bird strike...Idk. but seemed like a little explosion.
 

Sanchez

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There is another video from a different angle where it seems something poped inside the engine right before it start rolling down. Maybe a bird strike...Idk. but seemed like a little explosion.
But there's nothing to indicate any loss of power from the aircraft.

I kind of agree with general's statement:

"Today's HAL Tejas Mk1A crash in Dubai. Sadly, the pilot lost his life. RIP.

It's a situation similar to the crash in Poland. Meanwhile, our F-4 pilots narrowly escaped disaster in Cyprus. Air shows are endlessly beautiful to watch, but they're no joke. A very high level of flight discipline is required. You can't do this job without careful planning and training... The pilots selected for this job are special pilots. They all have to be experienced. The Indian pilot was also very experienced, but accidents can still happen.

The first comment on this accident has come in: they say there was an oil leak. However, oil leak malfunctions that could cause a plane to crash without sudden structural damage (collision, etc.) do not occur instantly. They develop slowly. The pilot would cancel the mission at that point and land safely. There would be no problem. Therefore, I do not believe the cause of this accident is as simple as "there was an oil leak."

Based on the 3-5 second footage, there was no attempt to save the aircraft. There was no strong descent. There is also no footage expected from an exit maneuver that should normally occur at 4-5G. There does not appear to be a pilot-induced situation either. There must have been a control malfunction preventing a safe exit, or the pilot was "mesmerized" by something on the ground, his focus remained there, and he did not give the exit command sufficiently and in time. There is a "lazy" situation... Whatever happened, unfortunately, it did not end well."

 

Afif

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But there's nothing to indicate any loss of power from the aircraft.

I kind of agree with general's statement:

"Today's HAL Tejas Mk1A crash in Dubai. Sadly, the pilot lost his life. RIP.

It's a situation similar to the crash in Poland. Meanwhile, our F-4 pilots narrowly escaped disaster in Cyprus. Air shows are endlessly beautiful to watch, but they're no joke. A very high level of flight discipline is required. You can't do this job without careful planning and training... The pilots selected for this job are special pilots. They all have to be experienced. The Indian pilot was also very experienced, but accidents can still happen.

The first comment on this accident has come in: they say there was an oil leak. However, oil leak malfunctions that could cause a plane to crash without sudden structural damage (collision, etc.) do not occur instantly. They develop slowly. The pilot would cancel the mission at that point and land safely. There would be no problem. Therefore, I do not believe the cause of this accident is as simple as "there was an oil leak."

Based on the 3-5 second footage, there was no attempt to save the aircraft. There was no strong descent. There is also no footage expected from an exit maneuver that should normally occur at 4-5G. There does not appear to be a pilot-induced situation either. There must have been a control malfunction preventing a safe exit, or the pilot was "mesmerized" by something on the ground, his focus remained there, and he did not give the exit command sufficiently and in time. There is a "lazy" situation... Whatever happened, unfortunately, it did not end well."


I agree that we didn't see any apparent power loss. But see this one. Dunno what is it.

 

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