dated August 9, 1951: Indian-Designed HT - 2 Plane

India's 10-year-old aircraft industry achieved a significant milestone towards self-sufficiency with tests successfully done on the first plane designed and built in Bangalore. Captain Munshi, Chief Test Pilot, told TheHindu that it was easily manoeuverable and responded quickly and effectively to controls. ``As soon as I took off, I felt great confidence. We did all sorts of aerobatics, something unusual in the history of prototype testing. The HT - 2 is an exceedingly promising aircraft.'' Chief Inspector H. K. Karve added, ``The aircraft made a perfect climb and zoomed over the airfield. It was flown to 8,000 feet above sea level to check tendencies to stall etc., and performed very satisfactorily. The aircraft was subjected to severe tests, including loops and tight turns, to which it responded marvellously. After an hour, it came down and made a perfect landing. Ground inspection showed that everything was fine regarding structurally soundness. The designer of the aircraft, Dr. Ghatage, said that the HT - 2 had been developed to operate in tropical conditions and they had avoided the use of fabric or wood. The engines and some instruments had to be imported from outside. The idea of building HT - 2 was conceived three years earlier. A top official of Hindustan Aircraft said that the factory had programmed to manufacture 300 of the planes. The engine used in the prototype was a Gypsy Major 10, but production aircraft were to be fitted with Circus Major 3 engines.

Red Tape Disfranchisement of Women

Dr. James H. Cousins wrote from Madanapalle, ``Mrs. Margaret E. Cousins, the pioneer for the enfranchisement of women in India, and I are shocked that the central right of the parliamentary vote is to be denied to 28 lakhs of women because they did not give their personal names, and so had to be struck off the electoral rolls. The insistence of these women on following the long-established custom of naming themselves ``the wife or daughter of so-and-so'' is thrown aside as a ``social prejudice''. The duty of a Government is not to meet long- established custom by departmental red tape, but to modify rules and regulations to allow the intention of legislation to be fulfilled.''

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Miscellaneous
Previous : God redeems His devotees always
Next     : Weather