|
|
ONGC interested in HAL chopper, Chile yet to decide
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
May 20, 2005: Indian government-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has evinced keen interest in Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) five-tonne class twin-engine Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), with the oil exploration firm intending to use it for its both offshore and onshore operations.
"ONGC has expressed interest in the chopper for use in both onshore and offshore work, while a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the companies to co-operate on a range of activities including exploiting HAL's expertise in industrial and marine gas turbine engines," HAL officials said.
ALH is a multi-role aircraft capable of both military and civil applications, and ONGC will put the chopper for its various operations including surveys and transferring of personnel and equipment, they said.
The twin-engine aircraft is powered by engines supplied by Tourbomeca, a group company of the French Snecma Group, a propulsion systems and equipment maker.
It will also be the first helicopter to be powered by a more powerful engine, the Ardiden, which Tourbomeca and HAL are co-developing.
The ALH, hailed as a superior aircraft in its class, is being rolled out in five variants, including a military helicopter and an ambulance. HAL has sold two of the aircraft to Nepal, has a firm order from Jharkhand and is negotiating a sale to Israel.
HAL and its commercial partner Israel Aircraft Industry made their first major sales pitch for ALH in Chile, which is also evaluating products from competitors like Bell Textron.
In February, HAL put up a display of the ALH for visiting diplomats from eight different Latin American countries; however, no definite sales were forth coming from these countries.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
|
