Swiss Pilatus PC-7 to train IAF rookies

The Indian Air Force’s (IAFs) two year-long hunt for a basic trainer has ended with the Swiss Pilatus PC-7 emerging as the preferred aircraft to train the rookie pilots.

The inking of the `1850-crore deal by the IAF with Swiss firm Pilatus by the end of the month will mean that the PC-7 will enter service by mid-2013, ending a vacuum created since 2009 following the grounding of the air force’s basic trainer, the HPT-32 Deepak after a crash near Hyderabad.

The Pilatus PC-7 emerged the winner after it competed with Grob’s G-120 TP, Embraer’s EMB-312 Super Tucano, Finmeccanica’s M-311, Hawker Beechcraft’s T-6C Texan-II and Korean Aerospace’s KT-1. The Swiss aircraft along with its competitors underwent extensive trials at the Bangalore- based Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE).

ASTE officials pointed out that during the user trials the Pilatus PC-7 outperformed its rival aircraft and met all the parameters set by the IAF. All aircraft prior to induction into the IAF is evaluated by ASTE’s test pilots. The absence of trainers has dealt a severe blow to the IAF, which is planning to induct more pilots. Apart from the grounding of the HPT-32 Deepak, the IAF is also facing a shortage of Kiran aircraft. The airforce uses the two-seater Kiran for intermediate training of rookie pilots after their stint with the HPT-32 Deepak at the Air Force Academy.

This apart, the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited as a replacement for the Kiran too has had its share of problems.

The IJT has been frequently crashing while on test sorties and its induction into the IAF is likely to be delayed. Because of the delay, the IAF has also been forced to disband the famed Surya Kiran aerobatic team and are using its aircraft (Kiran) to carry out the basic weapons training for IAF cadets.