The HAL Rotary Wing ‘Lightweights’

n excellent example of Made in The helicopter has a twin-engine by weight of composite construction. initiative, HAL Dhruv (Pole Star) configuration allowing continued flight The high tail boom allows easy access Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) virtually throughout the flight envelope. to the rear clamshell loading doors. The Ahas been developed indigenously by the The prototype helicopter is fitted with two four-bladed hinge less main rotor can be Helicopter Division of the government- Turbomeca TM 333-2C or 2B2 engines manually folded. The blades are mounted owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited rated at 740 kW take-off power. between cruciform-shaped carbon-fibre- (HAL). It is a light (5.5 tonne) multirole A more powerful engine for the Dhruv, reinforced plastic plates on a fibre elastomer and multi-mission helicopter for army, air the Shakti (Ardiden 1H) rated at 900 constructed rotor head. The tail section force, navy, and civil operations, kW was developed under a cooperative features bearing less tail rotor. The helicopter for both utility and all weather attack roles. agreement between HAL and Turbomeca is equipped with an active vibration control The helicopter, which is built to FAR 29 and manufactured at . Avio was system developed by Lord Corporation of specifications, entered series production selected to supply Integrated Dynamic North Carolina that uses sensors to monitor in 2000. Its prime variants are classified as Systems (IDS) for the Shakti engine. The on-board conditions and outputs signals to Dhruv Mk I, Mk II, Mk III and Weapon first flight of the Dhruv Advanced Light actuators to cancel fuselage floor vibrations. System Integrated (WSI) Mk IV known as Helicopter with the new engine took place The cockpit section of the fuselage is of Rudra. HAL has produced more than 300 in August 2007 and it was certified in 2008. Kevlar and carbon-fibre construction and is Dhruv helicopters till October 2020, for The maximum fuel capacity is 1,400 litres fitted with crashworthy seats. The navigation and exports. Also the and the fuel system includes cross feeding suite includes a Global Positioning System fleet of the (IAF) Display and fuel dumping. (GPS), a Doppler navigation system, Team, Sarang (Peacock) includes the Dhruv The Dhruv ALH helicopter is of distance measuring equipment, a true air helicopters. conventional design and about two-thirds speed indicator, automatic direction finder,

Lineup of Rudra’s

48 VAYU