HAL HJT-36

infobox Aircraft
name = HJT-36 Sitara
type = Trainer
manufacturer = Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

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designer =
first flight = 7 March 2003
introduced = 2008
retired =
number built = 2
status = Prototype
unit cost =
primary user = Indian Air Force
Indian Navy
more users=
variants with their own articles =

The HAL Hindustan Jet Trainer-36 (HJT-36) "Sitara" (Hindi: सितारा, Sitārā, "star") [ [http://webapps.uni-koeln.de/tamil/ Sanskrit, Tamil and Pahlavi Dictionaries ] ] [http://books.google.com/books?id=jPR2OlbTbdkC&pg=PA275&lpg=PA275&dq=sitara+indo-aryan&source=web&ots=o2bDBqfAS0&sig=6aQASAn3YVQhgUEybLBV9braoio&hl=en] is an Intermediate Jet trainer aircraft (IJT) under development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) ARDC (Aircraft Research and Design Center) for the Indian Air Force. The HJT-36 will replace the HJT-16 Kiran in its role of as a trainer (Stage-2) in the Indian Air Force. It has a conventional jet trainer design, with a low, swept wing, staggered cockpits and small air intakes on either side of its fuselage.

Development

The project began in 1999, with the first prototype flying on 7 March 2003. The Limited Series Production (LSP) order of the Indian Air Force of 12 (Surya Kiran Aerobatics team) aircraft is supposed to be delivered in June 2005. Final production could be 225+ aircraft, serving both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

Initial prototypes have flown with the Snecma Larzac engine, while the production models will fly with the more powerful Saturn AL-55I engine with about 16.9 kN of thrust (thrust-to-weight ratio of 5.59). There was delay in the program due to the new air staff requirements opted in 2005 by the Indian Air Force, which stipulates a new and more powerful engine. The engines are yet to arrive in India from Russia. The first two Limited Series production aircraft are expected to be handed over to the Indian Air Force by September 2008, the remaining 10 of the ordered 12 by October 2009. [ [http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/17/stories/2008031759091300.htm IJT delivery schedule goes awry] ]

Incidents

In February 2007, during takeoff from Yelahanka airbase near Bangalore, the first prototype aircraft built by HAL suffered serious damage after its canopy flew open, causing the aircraft to veer to the right, shattering an oleo strut, bursting a tyre, snapping the port wing tip and major damage to the starboard wing. The aircraft finally collapsed in a heap of dust and smoke, but there was no injury to pilot Sqn Ldr Baldev Singh, the aircraft programme's chief test pilot. The aircraft was participating in the Aero India 2007 air show. There were no casualties in the incident. [ [http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/09/stories/2007020909011200.htm Report in The Hindu] ]

Specifications (HJT-36, prototypes)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= jet
ref={name of first source}
crew= two, student and instructor
capacity=
length main= 11.00 m
length alt= 36 ft 1 in
span main= 10.00 m
span alt= 32 ft 10 in
height main= 4.40 m
height alt= 14 ft 5 in
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 3,500 kg
empty weight alt= 7,700 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 4,500 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 9,900 lb
more general=

engine (jet)= Snecma Larzac 04-20
type of jet=
number of jets=1
thrust main= 14.1 kN
thrust alt= 3,170 lbf
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=

max speed main= Mach 0.75
max speed alt= 825 km/h, 509 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 9,000 m
ceiling alt= 29,520 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Endurance: 3 hours
* Maximum Dive Speed: 750 km/h
* Maximum Load Factor: +7.0/-2.5 g
armament=
* Five hardpoints for up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of a variety of guns, bombs, rockets, and missiles
avionics=

See also

aircontent
related=
*HAL Tejas
similar aircraft=
*Hongdu JL-8
sequence=
HJT-16 -HJT-36 -HJT-39
lists=

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Info/Aircraft/IJT-Suresh.html HAL Intermediate Jet Trainer HJT-36 by Wg.Cdr Kukke Suresh VrC(Retd.) @ Bharat-rakshak.com]
* [http://www.acig.org/exclusives/aero/acig_aero05_hjt36.htm ACIG Exclusive: 15 Photos of two JJT-39 prototypes and its cockpit]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE5-5/Rao.html Bharat-Rakshak Monitor: Sitara - Intermediate Jet Trainer - HJT-36 by H. Niranjan Rao]
* [http://www.hal-india.com/nagpur-test.asp HAL: IJT passes hot weather trials in Nagpur, 9 June 2006]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/Current/Trainers/HJT36/ Photos of the two prototypes @ Bharat-rakshak.com]
* [http://media.bharat-rakshak.com/aero/AeroIndia2007/Flying/IJT/ Photo album: HJT-36 Sitara flying at Aero-India 2007 @ Bharat-rakshak.com]
* [http://media.bharat-rakshak.com/aero/AeroIndia2007/Static/ Photo album: HJT-36 Sitara static display at Aero-India 2007 @ Bharat-rakshak.com]
* [http://media.bharat-rakshak.com/aero/AeroIndia2007/Static/?g2_page=2 Photo album: HJT-36 Sitara static display at Aero-India 2007 Pg-2 @ Bharat-rakshak.com]
* [http://media.bharat-rakshak.com/aero/AeroIndia2007/Flying/zipperone/ Photo album: HJT-36 Sitara force landing during takeoff at Aero-India 2007 @ Bharat-rakshak.com]
* [http://media.bharat-rakshak.com/aero/AeroIndia2007/Flying/HAL+IJT+Taxying+back.jpg.html Photo: HJT-36 taxing back. Aero-India 2007 @ Bharat-rakshak.com]