Photos: Tejas hot weather trials + LCA Tejas LSP-2 maiden flight!!!

Had completely forgotten to post these photographs last month. Anyway, for what they're worth! Here's the bunch of photos that the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) released after the hot-weather trials of the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas in Nagpur in May. A nice set.

Tejas LSP-2 Takes OFF!

The second Tejas limited series production (LSP-2) fighter took to the skies today from the HAL airport in Bangalore. There hasn't been a press release from HAL or the MoD yet, though there were a scattering of agency reports on the flight. The successful half-hour flight was piloted by NFTC test pilot Wg Cdr N Tiwari, who is reported to have flown the LSP-2 at Mach 1.1. The third Tejas prototype vehicle (PV-3) was on chase duty, and flown by Wg Cdr RR Tyagi.

According to a local HAL press release, "This is the second limited series production aircraft that rolled out of the LSP hangar of HAL. It is the first aircraft powered by the new GE404-IN20 engine and also had a new ejection seat version, the Martin Baker Mk 16LG."

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