The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) and a private Indian company have teamed up to create the standard operating procedures (SOPs) required for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas to incorporate the Kaveri engine. The project, which is preparing for limited flying trials of the aircraft fitted with the domestic Kaveri engine for technological demonstration objectives, has advanced significantly with this collaboration.
A new engine’s integration into an existing aircraft is a difficult procedure that needs to be carefully planned and carried out. To obtain the best performance and safety, the engine, propulsion subsystem, and air inlet must all work together flawlessly.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are essential documentation that specify how complicated systems, such as the Kaveri engine working with the Tejas airframe, are to be operated and maintained. It offer detailed instructions to pilots, technicians, and ground staff to ensure the aircraft’s safe and efficient operation.
Although the aircraft manufacturer is obligated to design and integrate the air inlet system, the engine manufacturer retains responsibility for the engine itself. To guarantee seamless integration and peak performance, this responsibility sharing requires precise and well-defined interfaces between the engine and aircraft systems.
Once the required software has been developed, the next stage is to determine which configuration is best for the complete propulsion system. This involves carefully considering the performance of each component separately as well as how they interact to affect the overall performance and safety of the aircraft.
The planned limited flight testing will provide significant information into the integrated system’s performance and potential. The obtained data will play a pivotal role in subsequent refinements and optimisations, ultimately facilitating the implementation of Tejas aircraft with the Future High Thrust Variant of the Kaveri engine.
