Story ID: 
HAL Finally Rolls Out Its Turboprop Trainer
By: Chris Pocock
Caption: The HTT-40 has been rolled out, but the PC-7 is meeting most of the Indian requirement.
Word Count: 212
Hindustan Aeronautics has rolled out the prototype of the HTT-40 basic trainer. HTT stands for Hindustan Turbo Trainer. The project has been under way for some years, and the design was previously rejected by the Indian air force (IAF) in favor of the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, with delivery of 75 examples now almost completed, and a follow-on order for 38 placed with the Swiss company.

However, the IAF requires a total of 181 basic trainers, and HAL said that the service had issued a task directive in November last year for the design and development of the HTT-40. “The project has managed to steer through the initial headwinds and is now going full throttle,” said T. Suvarna Raju, HAL chairman and managing director. “There are plans to weaponize and optimize the aircraft,” he continued.

HAL noted in May last year that the design of the HTT-40 was revised to accommodate the selection of a new engine—the Honeywell TPE331-12B. The company also said that this is the first Indian aircraft to be completely designed and manufactured from a digital mock-up, and also by using laser-tracked jigs at the prototype phase. Of the 90 line-replaceable units (LRUs) on the aircraft, 70 have been sourced from sister divisions of HAL.