India signs contract for 194 Slovenian light trainer aircraft

Ten years of the UPA rule blows to India’s security not only by way of weak responses to attacks by Pakistan, which were nothing short of acts of war, but also by almost paralysing the process of  defence procurements, vital for the same security. A book titled ‘Modi’s Blueprint for India’ (Pentagon Press), edited by this writer, dwells at length on these aspects.

One of the items that the Defence Ministry dithered over purchasing was a light-trainer aircraft, much required by the services for flight safety and training. In 2011, when India first issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a micro-light trainer aircraft, it more or less remained in the LBW (let the blighter wait) tray till the UPA government was voted out of power.   

On October 12, 2015, India signed a contract with Slovenian aircraft manufacturing company,  Pipistrel, which emerged as the winner to supply 194 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Indian Navy (IN) and the National Cadet Corps (NCC). 

The deal, according to defence sources valued at Rs 105.5 crore in 2011, is for  a two-seater trainer, capable of take-off and landing on prepared and semi-prepared surfaces. Made of advanced carbon fibre material, with a carrying capacity of two crew members and their equipment, this aircraft is powered by an 80 HP aviation certified engine capable of a maximum speed of  over 220 km/hr, fly for more than three hours and ascend to altitudes in excess of 6,000 meters. 

While 110 of these aircraft are for NCC, IAF and IN will receive 72 and 12 aircraft, respectively. The delivery of the aircraft is expected to commence in the next one year.

Pipistrel, a renowned light aircraft manufacturer with 26 years of aircraft design and production experience, will equip India with its model ‘Virus SW 80’, chosen by the respective Indian armed forces services/directorates. The aircraft was thoroughly tested and successfully cleared evaluations at the Field and Maintainability Evaluation Trial carried out in India and named Garud (a bird from Hindu mythology). 

The signing of the contract was followed by a media interaction in the presence of HE Jozef Drofenik, Maja Segota, MIA, First Counsellor, trade and economic affairs, some other officials from Slovenian Embassy,  Pipistrel’s CEO Ivo Boscarol and Wg Cdr Sanjay Thapar, VM (retd), introduced by Boscarol as Pipistrel’s points-person in India. 

A short film of Virus and other models of Pipistrel aircraft in various modes of operation illustrated their unique aspects.

Boscarol said: “With more than a quarter of century experience in the field, Pipistrel makes the ideal partner to IAF, IN and NCC. Our Virus SW 80 ‘Garud’, which was carefully configured to suit and fulfil the requirements of all ordering parties, is a culmination of advanced design, state-of-the-art composite construction and modern digital avionics, forming a 21th century basic trainer solution any operator would envy.”

 He added: “I am proud that our product emerged as the winning proposal amongst fierce international competition and I look forward to learning about many new pilots who will take to the skies in the ‘Garud’.” 

On being queried about the name Pipistrel, Boscarol explained that in the earlier Yugoslavia alternative and ultralight flying was almost illegal, so the alternative pilots, if they wanted to fly, had to do it in triangular shaped wings the locals started to call them “bats” and “Pipistrellus” is a Latin word for bat, a sketch of which features on Pipistrel’s logo. 

Pipistrel  has equipped its aircraft designed to be used for flight safety and training of air wing cadets with a special a ballistic parachute rescue system and several other safety enhancing features, such as energy attenuation seats and a Kevlar reinforced cockpit cell. 

To ensure uninterrupted and smooth operation of the Garuds, Pipistrel will equip IAF, IN and NCC with spare engines, ground support equipment and tools, special multi-year spare parts packs, extended 10-year product support, as well as train a large number of crew and technical staff with factory instructors. Pipistrel will also support its product with a single point Indian contact during guarantee and annual maintenance contract periods.