BENGALURU: The first prototype of the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas’ Naval version — LCA NP-1 — completed its maiden flight as part of the carrier compatibility tests at the shore-based test facility INS Hansa in Goa at 12.34pm on Saturday.

LCA-Navy is the second Ski Take Off But Arrested Recovery ( STOBAR ) carrier-borne aircraft in the world, after a Russian deck based aircraft. And, this will be the only Carrier borne Fighter aircraft in the Light category.

The flight in Goa comes more than two years after the aircraft completed its maiden flight on April 27, 2012. Attempting to build such an aircraft for the first time, the Indian Navy and team LCA even got help from the United States Navy, which audited the aircraft in the initial stages.

“...The US?Navy Carrier Suitability Test Team conducted audits of our test findings which has been very beneficial for us given the fact that this is India’s first attempt at developing a carrier-borne fighter,” a senior official involved with the project said.

The aircraft designed to operate from the decks of air-craft carriers, on Saturday took off from Ski-Jump facility of INS Hansa. Piloted by Commodore Jaideep Maolankar, the Chief Test Pilot of National Flight Test Centre (NFTC), the aircraft had “a perfect flight with results matching the predicted ones to the letter,” a note said.

LCA (Navy) is designed with stronger landing gears to absorb forces exerted by the ski jump ramp during take-off, to be airborne within 200-m as against 1,000-m required for normal runways.

It’s special flight control law mode allows hands-free take-off relieving the pilot workload, as the aircraft leaps from the ramp and automatically puts the aircraft in an ascending trajectory.

The Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) has been created to replicate the aircraft carrier with a Ski Jump for take-off and arresting gear cable for arrested landing; by ADA with the participation of the Indian Navy, Goa shipyard, CCE (R&D) West, Pune, R&D Engg (E) Pune and the Russian agencies providing the design support and specialized equipment.

Role of the Aircraft:

* Air to Air * Air to Sea * Air to Ground

Dimensions:

* Span : 8.2m * Length : 13.2m * Height : 4.52m