Made-in-India ‘Light Utility Helicopter’ ready for its first flight

Indigenously built Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is going to make its first flight very soon as the developers have overcome a software-related hurdle, which was delaying the launch.

As per reports, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd-made 3.1 tonne prototype LUH will replace Cheetah and Chetak fleets of the armed forces.
The launch will take place in Bengaluru.

"We are now ready to take the chopper in the air. All hurdles have been crossed and now it is only a matter of the right day when all conditions are good for a first flight," a senior official involved in the project told ET.

The LUH is a military project and the works were on since 2008. The testing was done in 2015.

The LUH will carry troops and supplies to border areas as presently, the Indian Armed Forces require over 200 choppers in its fleet.

The manufacturing of the choppers is expected to begin from 2018. The chopper is powered by a Shakti engine made in collaboration with French company Turbomeca. A new production facility is to be built for the LUH project.