Bengaluru: Marking a milestone in the country’s indigenous aerospace manufacturing, the next generation, multi-role civil helicopter Dhruv NG, billed as an alternative to imported light twin-engine helicopters, made its maiden flight on Tuesday here.
Union minister Ram Mohan Naidu flagged off the HAL-made helicopter and called it a symbol of the country’s capability.
The minister also performed aarti and participated in the puja before the flight inaugural ceremony. Designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the civil aviation market, the helicopter boasts of modern features in terms of ride quality as well as safety, according to officials. It includes a world-class civil-certified glass cockpit and a modern avionics suite for superior situational awareness, they said.
Dhruv NG, a sophisticated 5.5-tonne, light twin-engine helicopter engineered to master the diverse and demanding requirements of the Indian terrain is specifically upgraded to meet the rigorous demands of the global civil aviation market, they said.
Addressing a gathering after witnessing the inaugural flight, Naidu said the event marked a “very important milestone in Indian aviation history” and congratulated the entire HAL workforce, from designers and engineers to technicians, for the achievement.
He said HAL had long functioned like a bicycle with one dominant wheel--defence, but was now evolving into a balanced organisation riding on two equal wheels-- defence and civil aviation.
“This is an especially proud moment for me as the civil aviation minister,” he said, adding that the development reflected India’s growing confidence in indigenous aerospace manufacturing.
He emphasised that the Dhruv-NG was not just a machine but a symbol of India’s capability, confidence and commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
Naidu recalled inspecting the aircraft at Aero India earlier this year and expressed satisfaction that the long-awaited inaugural flight had been completed within a year.
Before its take-off from HAL here, the minister joined the pilot in the cockpit to gain first hand insight into the helicopter’s advanced systems and features.