Flying safety centre for changing of advanced light helicopter parts

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 10

After serious concerns were raised in strategic circles, a government regulatory body responsible for the certification of military aircraft has suggested replacement of specific parts used by the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).

The Bengaluru-based Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) — which has representatives from the ALH manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) — has submitted a report to the three armed forces suggesting the need for changing a part called the ‘control rod’ on the copter.

Already, as reported by The Tribune in its edition dated May 5, the services have flagged metallurgical issues with a critical component called the ‘control rod’ on board the copter.

The CEMILAC has found the control rod in the gearbox which transfer power from the engines to the overhead rotor is showing higher fatigue of stress. A final decision is to be made soon on having a different metal to be used to make these ‘control rods’.

A special check have been put in place to check the ‘control rod’ after every 100 hours of flying, instead of the existing check-up done every 300 hours of flying.

Failure of control in the gearbox results in the copter not responding correctly to the pilot’s inputs and becomes impossible to control, sources said.

CEMILAC is a regulatory body under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).