Date:20/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/20/stories/2006092004570400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`LCA's fifth test flight in 10 to 15 days'

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The former director of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Programme, Kota Harinarayana, on Tuesday indicated that the fifth flight will be test flown in Bangalore in the next 10 to 15 days and that an indigenous engine for the same will be developed in about five years.

Delivering the keynote address at the Project Management Practitioners' Conference organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) and Project Management Institute (PMI), here, Dr. Harinarayana urged project managers to take a leaf out of the LCA project, as it was the second indigenous fighter to be developed in the country after 25 years.

"Project managers should learn from past mistakes and they should not make the same mistakes. They should think and plan. When the LCA was conceived, only one per cent believed that it would be a reality. When it took to the skies, only 50 per cent believed it. Now more and more people believe it. Those countries that produce fighters are in the forefront. India has recently joined this list. If you are not in the game, you cannot become powerful."

Dr. Harinarayana regretted that the aviation sector was not as attractive as the IT (information technology) sector. "If we could have got at least a sizeable portion of people into the aviation sector, we could have progressed well. Aviation is a trend-setter and uses technology that is ahead of others. The real challenge for the aviation sector is the use of technology and capability in a proper manner for the benefit of mankind."

"When the LCA project was conceived, we did not have infrastructure, manpower, technology and investment. The people who designed the projects and tested and certified the flights were all new. We have brought down the number of parts in the prototype to 7,000 from 10,000. Today, we have more indigenisation in the LCA than in cars. All this was done with the help of small-scale industries," he said.