Goa Hosts Inaugural Naval Flight Test Seminar
20 Sept, 2018: Naval test pilots and engineers have the hardest jobs around. From taking off to carrying out dangerous night landing on aircraft carriers that roll and pitch, Naval test flying is the epitome of aviation.
Thus, to further research and exchange knowledge, Goa was chosen as the venue for the inaugural Naval Flight Test Seminar which was held on Thursday. The seminar witnessed intensive brain-storming sessions concerning flight testing fixed and rotary wing aircraft and how to integrate them on aircraft carriers and small decks.
The seminar also saw the presentation of a series of papers weapon integration on service aircraft and towards building and sustaining training for Naval Experimental Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers. The seminar saw participation from the International arena including Boeing, Dassault and International Test Pilots School.
Scientists and heads of various DRDO labs, Defence Avionics Research Establishment, Aeronautical Development Agency, National Aerospace Laboratories and Centre for Airborne Systems represented the public sector.
The industry participants were from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Boeing Defence and Dassault Aviation among others.
The inaugural flight test seminar was organized under the aegis of Headquarters Western Naval Command and Headquarters Naval Aviation under, which a Naval Flight Test Squadron was recently set up at Goa. The Naval Flight Test Squadron, since its inception in Jul 17, has been undertaking various flight-testing tasks on fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft of Indian Navy. Retired and serving experimental test crew from Indian Navy were present in strength.
Chief of former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd) along with Flag Officer Naval Aviation, Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil, NM, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air) Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana, NM and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air Material) Rear Admiral VM Doss, NM, were present at the seminar.