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MiG designer blames absence of trainer jets for MiG-21 crashes
In the wake of high number of pilots and aircraft lost by the Indian Air Force in peace time due to MiG-21 crashes, a top Russian aircraft designer has blamed the absence of an Intermediate Jet Trainer for the catastrophic rate of accidents.
In the wake of high number of pilots and aircraft lost by the Indian Air Force in peace time due to MiG-21 crashes, a top Russian aircraft designer has blamed the absence of an Intermediate Jet Trainer for the catastrophic rate of accidents.
"The delay in the induction of indigenous Intermediate Jet Trainer by India is the main cause of the high accident rate of MiG-21s, which is a very strict aircraft and never forgives any mistake on the part of the pilot," Deputy Chief Designer of Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG", Vladimir Barkovsky told a news agency.
IAF's track record in the past decade has been dismal, according to its own submission in the parliament, it lost 80 pilots and 185 aircraft--almost a fourth of its entire fleet.
"Things were alright when the trainee used to sit at the joystick of MiG-21 after gaining flying experience on 'Kiran' or HF-24 'Marut', which were virtually used as intermediate trainer jets. Today after training on basic piston engine aircraft the trainee pilot is directly put in the cockpit of MiG-21," Barkovsky said.
"You cannot expect a man, who just learned to drive a car to pilot a jet fighter too," he added noting that India's HJT-36 single engine intermediate jet trainer project is running behind the schedule, when the IAF badly needs modern trainer jets. With India moving towards induction of new generation fighters the issue of Intermediate and Advanced Trainer Jets has acquired paramount importance and this issue can no longer be put on the back burner, he underscored.
Barkovsky believes that India's HJT-36 Intermediate Trainer Jet to be equipped with French Larzac engine would make a good combination with MiG-AT Advanced Jet Trainer equipped with two Larzac engines,
Echoing the sentiments of Barkovsky, Ruslan Pukhov of Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) said ill ground maintanance was among other factors which compounded to the high accident rates of MiG-21 fighters earning acrimonious repute of "Flying Coffins" and "Widow maker" for them. "Like in Russia lately, in India also there is a big difference in (work) culture of pilots and technicians. While our pilots are of world class, the junior technical staff in both the countries often work like motor-mechanics in a rural garage," Pukhov said.
He agreed with Barkovsky that MiG-21 is still a reliable and economical workhorse of the several air forces in the region bordering on India.
Barkovsky reminded that recently Pakistan acquired 50 F-7PG jets from China, which is only an upgraded version of MiG-21.
"Even these Pakistani jets would be far behind the modernised MiG-21-93 of the Indian Air Force due to its unique "Kopyo" multi-channel radar capable of simultaneously engaging several targets and enhancing ground attack capability by using 'fire and forget' weapon systems," Barkovsky said.
Bureau Report
IAF's track record in the past decade has been dismal, according to its own submission in the parliament, it lost 80 pilots and 185 aircraft--almost a fourth of its entire fleet.
"Things were alright when the trainee used to sit at the joystick of MiG-21 after gaining flying experience on 'Kiran' or HF-24 'Marut', which were virtually used as intermediate trainer jets. Today after training on basic piston engine aircraft the trainee pilot is directly put in the cockpit of MiG-21," Barkovsky said.
"You cannot expect a man, who just learned to drive a car to pilot a jet fighter too," he added noting that India's HJT-36 single engine intermediate jet trainer project is running behind the schedule, when the IAF badly needs modern trainer jets. With India moving towards induction of new generation fighters the issue of Intermediate and Advanced Trainer Jets has acquired paramount importance and this issue can no longer be put on the back burner, he underscored.
Barkovsky believes that India's HJT-36 Intermediate Trainer Jet to be equipped with French Larzac engine would make a good combination with MiG-AT Advanced Jet Trainer equipped with two Larzac engines,
Echoing the sentiments of Barkovsky, Ruslan Pukhov of Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) said ill ground maintanance was among other factors which compounded to the high accident rates of MiG-21 fighters earning acrimonious repute of "Flying Coffins" and "Widow maker" for them. "Like in Russia lately, in India also there is a big difference in (work) culture of pilots and technicians. While our pilots are of world class, the junior technical staff in both the countries often work like motor-mechanics in a rural garage," Pukhov said.
He agreed with Barkovsky that MiG-21 is still a reliable and economical workhorse of the several air forces in the region bordering on India.
Barkovsky reminded that recently Pakistan acquired 50 F-7PG jets from China, which is only an upgraded version of MiG-21.
"Even these Pakistani jets would be far behind the modernised MiG-21-93 of the Indian Air Force due to its unique "Kopyo" multi-channel radar capable of simultaneously engaging several targets and enhancing ground attack capability by using 'fire and forget' weapon systems," Barkovsky said.
Bureau Report