Experts to Meet, Design Indian Turbine

BENGALURU: Trying to spark interest in the next generation to design and produce India’s first indigenous Aero Gas Turbine Engine, veterans from the aeronautical development agencies will meet with those from the production, design and defense sector, in what seems like a push for the Kaveri engine, whose development started in 1986, and testing has been delayed several times, said veterans from the industry.

The group — Society for Advancement of Aerospace Propulsion (SAAP) — will organise a national workshop on ‘Ten commandments for Aero Gas Turbine Engine from Design to Flight’ on July 27, which will focus on nuances of developing a gas turbine from scratch. It will focus on the state of art design knowledge, special processes for manufacturing, critical high temperature and low weight material, and infrastructure for developmental testing, all of which have become shortfalls for India to develop its own Aero Gas Turbine Engine.

The society had organised a workshop with Aerospace Field experts, including retired members of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), design and development manufacturers, and aeronautical engineers on June 22, which was a precursor to the current workshop. President of SAAP Mohana Rao said that the 10 commandments will cover the crucial aspects from design to flight. Members of the Indian Air Force, who will be the consumers of the technology, will also be present at the workshop.

This, he hinted, to be a development towards owning and later exporting aero engines from India, which will save the exchequer huge costs for repair and overhauls. He iterated about just five engine houses in the world being able to design and develop their own engine. If India succeeds, it will join this elite group of nations.

Rao also pointed out to the need for influx of investment into the prime area for defence sector which is developing indigenous aero engines in the present condition. With as much as Rs 2000 crore being pumped in for the project, the veterans believe five times the investment is needed to successfully test and fly the indigenously produced engine.

Source: NIE

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