After having received the Flight Readiness Review Board’s (FRRB) clearance for the flight, the most advanced edition of India’s Light Combat Aircraft’s (LCA), Tejas, limited series production‐8 (LSP‐8) completed its maiden flight. The flight happened without the aircraft having completed high‐speed taxi trials, which is considered mandatory. Officials, however, maintain that with the confidence gained by the flight crew and the certifying agencies during the build and ground checks, a decision was taken to proceed with the first flight without going through a separate high speed taxi trial. Sources point out that the hurried flight, skipping the high‐speed taxi trial, could have been conceived in the backdrop of Defence Minister Mr A K Antony recently telling HAL not to extend the final operational clearance for Tejas.
Source: Deccan Herald
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