IAF chief takes maiden ride on Tejas

Bengaluru

An ace pilot himself, Raha is the first Chief of Air Staff to fly the indigenously designed and produced Tejas in about a 30-minute sortie over Bengaluru skies around the HAL airport here. Group Captain M Rangachari was with him in the twin-seater trainer aircraft.

“It is my first sortie in Tejas, it is a good aircraft for induction into IAF operations,” Raha was quoted as saying by the aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The Air Chief Marshal carried out manoeuvres in the entire flying envelope of the aircraft, an HAL statement said, adding he carried out simulated air to air and air to ground attacks. He also assessed the advanced modes of the radar and Helmet Mounted Display Sight (HMDs). HAL said Raha appreciated the flying qualities of the aircraft and congratulated the entire team of HAL and others involved in getting the LCA programme to this stage.

“It is a morale boosting gesture from the IAF Chief that reposes great confidence of our valuable customer in our abilities,” HAL CMD T Suvarna Raju said. During the sortie, the Air chief checked for himself the take-off, climb performances and agility of the aircraft by carrying out aerobatic manoeuvres, a Defence release said.