<p>The third prototype (PT3) of the indigenously designed and developed Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) recorded its maiden flight here on Friday.</p>.<p>This comes close on the heels of the helicopter achieving a 6-km altitude flight recently.</p>.<p>Test pilots Wg Cdr (Retd) Anil Bhambhani and Gp. Capt (Retd) M R Anand flew the chopper.</p>.<p>“The flight was flawless, and this prototype would augment development flight testing in conjunction with other two prototypes towards certification,” Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said in a release.</p>.<p>Based on the feedback from flight testing of PT1 and PT2, PT3 is built to the standard of deliverable configuration.</p>.<p>R Madhavan, HAL chairman and managing director, said: "With this achievement, the LUH is now close to production clearance, and the HAL is confident of meeting requirements of the armed forces.”</p>.<p>This flight is an indication that the helicopter could soon replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah/Chetak, according to Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engg., R&D) HAL.</p>.<p>The LUH is a three-ton class new generation single engine helicopter indigenously designed and developed by the Rotary Wing Research and Design Center (RWR&DC) of HAL. First flight of LUH PT-1 was carried on September 6, 2016, and the second Prototype flew on May 22, 2017. High altitude cold weather trials of LUH is planned in January 2019.</p>
<p>The third prototype (PT3) of the indigenously designed and developed Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) recorded its maiden flight here on Friday.</p>.<p>This comes close on the heels of the helicopter achieving a 6-km altitude flight recently.</p>.<p>Test pilots Wg Cdr (Retd) Anil Bhambhani and Gp. Capt (Retd) M R Anand flew the chopper.</p>.<p>“The flight was flawless, and this prototype would augment development flight testing in conjunction with other two prototypes towards certification,” Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said in a release.</p>.<p>Based on the feedback from flight testing of PT1 and PT2, PT3 is built to the standard of deliverable configuration.</p>.<p>R Madhavan, HAL chairman and managing director, said: "With this achievement, the LUH is now close to production clearance, and the HAL is confident of meeting requirements of the armed forces.”</p>.<p>This flight is an indication that the helicopter could soon replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah/Chetak, according to Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engg., R&D) HAL.</p>.<p>The LUH is a three-ton class new generation single engine helicopter indigenously designed and developed by the Rotary Wing Research and Design Center (RWR&DC) of HAL. First flight of LUH PT-1 was carried on September 6, 2016, and the second Prototype flew on May 22, 2017. High altitude cold weather trials of LUH is planned in January 2019.</p>