Tejas crash: Need for & risks in high-performance air manoeuvres, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• A Tejas fighter jet crashed at the Dubai Airshow during a display involving a negative G manoeuvre.
• The pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, was performing the manoeuvre seconds before the crash.
• Air Marshal Diptendu Choudhury (retd), former Commandant of TACDE, discussed potential causes of air display accidents.
• Display accidents can stem from technical issues, weather conditions, or pilot-related factors such as G-induced loss of consciousness.
• Commercial air show displays demonstrate an aircraft's performance envelope within tight safety margins.
• All fighter jets can perform negative G manoeuvres, but the limits vary.
• The IAF has ordered 180 MK 1A Tejas aircraft.

Detailed Insights:

• Air show displays differ from domestic flypasts as safety may not always take priority over performance.
• High-performance manoeuvres have direct or indirect combat relevance but are balanced with flight safety during displays.
• Negative G manoeuvres cause blood to rush to the head, potentially leading to a 'redout,' while positive G manoeuvres cause blood to rush to the feet, potentially leading to a 'black out'.
• Recovery from negative G is more challenging at low altitudes due to narrow margins.
• Reaction time is critical in low-level aerobatic displays, with platforms traveling at high speeds.
• The crash does not necessarily reflect on the aircraft's capabilities until proven otherwise.
• HAL needs to fulfill pending orders of Tejas aircraft to the IAF to maintain credibility.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Negative G Manoeuvre: A flight maneuver where the pilot experiences negative gravitational force, causing blood to rush to the head.
• Positive G Manoeuvre: A flight maneuver where the pilot experiences positive gravitational force, causing blood to rush to the feet.
• TACDE (Tactics and Air Combat Establishment): An IAF establishment that trains fighter pilots in air combat tactics.