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HJT-36 Sitara
Role	Trainer
Manufacturer	Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
First flight	7 March 2003
Status	Prototype
Primary user	Indian Air Force; Indian Navy
Number built	2

The HAL Hindustan Jet Trainer-36 (HJT-36) Sitara (Hindi: सितारा, Sitārā, "star")^[1]^[2] is an Intermediate Jet trainer aircraft (IJT) under development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) ARDC (Aircraft Research and Design Center) for the Indian Air Force. The HJT-36 will replace the HJT-16 Kiran in its role as a trainer (Stage-2) in the Indian Air Force. It has a conventional jet trainer design, with a low, swept wing, staggered cockpits and small air intakes on either side of its fuselage.

[edit] Development

Prototype in its hangar.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) started design work on the intermediate jet trainer in 1997. The concept was initially developed as a successor for the Indian Air Force and Navy's HAL Kiran. HAL was awarded a contract in 1999 by the government of the Republic of India for the completion of development, testing and certification of two prototype IJT aircraft.

In February 2003, the Indian Air Force placed placed an order for 16 aircraft. The order by the Indian Air Force could eventually grow to 250 aircraft. Two prototype aircraft have been built. These aircraft have undergone 280 test flights. The HJT-36 is scheduled to enter service with the Indian Air Force in June, 2010.

Initial prototypes have flown with the Snecma Larzac engine, while the production models will fly with the more powerful Saturn AL-55I engine with about 16.9 kN of thrust (thrust-to-weight ratio of .559). There was delay in the program due to the new air staff requirements opted in 2005 by the Indian Air Force, which stipulated the new and more powerful engine.

The AL-55I engine arrived from Russia on 28 December 2008. The first engine was fitted in PT-1, which has not been flown since the accident in Aero India 2007. One ground run has been undertaken on PT-1 after fitting the new engine.^[3]^[4]

The aircraft made its maiden flight with the Russian AL-55I engine on 9 May 2009.^[5]

[edit] Design

The aircraft is built from light alloy and composites, using a conventional low wing design with a sweptback wing of 9.8m span and 18° leading edge sweepback. About a quarter of the aircraft's line replaceable units are common with the HAL Tejas trainer aircraft.

The aircraft features a hydraulically retractable tricycle-type landing gear. The single-wheeled main units retract inward and the twin nose wheel unit retracts forward.^[6]

[edit] Cockpit

The cockpit uses a conventional tandem two-seat configuration with the trainee pilot forward and the instructor in the raised seat to the rear. The single-piece canopy gives the pilots good, all-round vision. The seats are lightweight zero-zero ejection seats, model K-36LT manufactured by Zvesda. The pilots have both conventional and manual flight controls.

[edit] Weapons

The aircraft can also be used in light-attack role. It has five external hardpoints for carrying weapon systems. There is one centre-line hardpoint under the fuselage and two weapon pylons under each wing for carrying rocket and gun pods and bombs. The maximum external payload is 1,000 kg.

[edit] Engine

The prototype aircraft are powered by a Snecma Larzac 04-H-20 turbofan non-afterburning engine developing 14.12 kN. The production models will fly with the more powerful Saturn AL-55I engine with about 16.9 kN of thrust (thrust-to-weight ratio of 5.59) as the new air staff requirements opted in 2005 by the Indian Air Force, stipulated a new and more powerful engine.

The AL-55I engine arrived from Russia on 28 December 2008. The aircraft made its maiden flight with Russian AL-55I engine on 9 May 2009.^[5]

[edit] Incidents

In February 2007, during takeoff from Yelahanka airbase near Bangalore, the first prototype aircraft built by HAL suffered serious damage after its canopy flew open, causing the aircraft to veer to the right, shattering an oleo strut, bursting a tyre, snapping the port wing tip and major damage to the starboard wing. The aircraft finally collapsed in a heap of dust and smoke, but there was no injury to pilot Sqn Ldr Baldev Singh, the aircraft programme's chief test pilot. The aircraft was participating in the Aero India 2007 air show. There were no casualties in the incident.^[7]

On February 4, 2009 PT-2 landed on its belly after a routine aerobatic sortie. The aircraft was piloted by HAL’s Executive Director - Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing) Squadron Leader Baldev Singh (retd.) and Wing Commander C. Subramaniam, an Indian Air Force fighter pilot on deputation to HAL. There was structural damage to the undercarriage and belly, the doors and one of the wing tips.^[4]

[edit] Specifications (HJT-36, prototypes)

Profil of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. HJT-36 Sitara.

This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.

Data from {name of first source}

General characteristics

Crew: two, student and instructor
Length: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
Height: 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in)
Max takeoff weight: 4,600 kg (10,000 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Snecma Larzac or Al-55I turbofan, 14.1 kN or 17kN (3,170 lbf or 4,500 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 0.80 (850 km/h, 540 mph)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,520 ft)
Endurance: 3 hours
Maximum Dive Speed: 950 km/h
Maximum Load Factor: +7.0/-2.5 g

Armament

5 X hardpoints with up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of a variety of guns, bombs, rockets, and missiles
1 × 23 mm cannon (optional)

[edit] See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[0] Sanskrit, Tamil and Pahlavi Dictionaries

[1] ttp://books.google.com/books?id=jPR2OlbTbdkC&pg=PA275&lpg=PA275&dq=sitara+indo-aryan&source=web&ots=o2bDBqfAS0&sig=6aQASAn3YVQhgUEybLBV9braoio&hl=en

[2] Russian engines coming today for intermediate jet trainer

[theasiandefence.blogspot.com-3] ttp://theasiandefence.blogspot.com/2009/02/intermediate-jet-trainer-lands-on-belly.html

[hindu.com-4] ttp://www.hindu.com/2009/05/14/stories/2009051454651800.htm

[5] ttp://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/hjttrainer/

[6] Report in The Hindu

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