The National Cadet Corps (NCC), India’s military cadet organisation, has put out a tender to procure 110 microlight aircraft for its Air Force Wing. The NCC has 47 Air Squadrons and 11 technical Air Squadrons. Each squadron is authorised four flying machines. The 110 new microlights will replace old wooden gliders and augment a limited number of existing microlights. The NCC currently has 45 Zen Air Microlitesand six Raj Hamsa X-Air microlights.
I have a queries to those who are related to procurement of defence products from foreign land.
I understand armed forces are here to defend Indian borders, however, Why should the tax payers pay for the import of foreign made weapons ?
I understand they are doing their job as they like them and I understand they get paid for their job. I also understand their pay is not at par with those IIM graduates. However I would like to query them, Why they do not have a R&D section then coordinates with different universities or defence research organisations?
Have the head different armed services though that their action are leading to job scarcity in defence related research.
Nice to Know this.. it would great Addition to NCC's Flying Wing.
Hope the new cadets enjoy it,get inspired to be ACE pilots..
hey shiv can u please answer one quetion ….did india get any of mi171v,80 ordered on dec 08 from russia please………..
I really feel sad hearing this news!! Are we not capable of building microlight aircraft own our own?!!!
This opportunity should have been given to private sector to design and built microlight aircraft in stead of procuring them from overseas!!
WOW!!! Now NCC is walking on the steps of the ARMY.. PhhhhOREn MaaaL. I think its time police sud also take similr steps.
it's such a pity thing that country like us i.e INDIA(almost a step closer to become superpower) is obtaining foreign made microlight,,,,i don't understand y can't HAL with IAF built these small planes,,,,,,,agar hamare paas PAISA hai to iska matlaab ye nahi ki,hawa may udao,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
anyway by seeing this news i have gone to my past and remember that day when 5YRS BACK IN JUNE 2005
I WAS IN AIR NCC(10th class),,,,,,
9 STUDENTS FROM OUR SCHOOL AFGJI-DELHI WERE INVITED TO AIR FORCE STATION HINDON FOR FLYING IN A MICROLIGHT,,,,,,,,,,,I CANNOT FORGET THAT 20MINS IN AIR SEEING HINDON RIVER FROM ABOVE WITH MY PILOT SQN LDR SHARMA,,,,,,,,,,,,I WAS VERY EXICTED WHEN HE TOLD ME TO HOLD THE CONTROL STICK AND HAVE A FEEL,,,,,,,,MY HANDS WERE SHAKING IN EXICTEMENT ,,,,BUT BRAVELY I PUT MY HANDS ON STICK AND MOVED IT FORWARD AND BACKWARD,,,,,,,,,,,THAT 20MINS WERE MY MOST JOYOUS MOVEMENT OF MY LIFE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,SORRY BUDDIES FOR POSTING MY PERSONAL LIFE DAYS.
ANYWAY LET ME THANK U SHIV FOR POSTING A ARTICLE ON MICROLIGHT.
Instead of promote Indian R&D, the netas, babus, indian intellectuals and defence personal have promoted foreign R&D through import of those countries goods or weapons. Following the present trend, I very strongly believe that even after 10000…000 years, Indian babus,intellectuals, netas and defence personal will support foreign made shirt, shoes, watches, weapons, etc..
Now I strongly feel that we citizens should import foreign made politicians and government machineries as the present Indian made neta, babus, police, defence personal or judiciary have done no good for Indians.
One IISc professor developed a Wankel engine based microlight plane , which was publicized in discovery channel…why cant we use it?
I agree with you Anonymous, however I feel the defence personal, babus and netas cannot support indian made weapons for top secret reasons known to them.
If I am correct, Indian Air force is one of the world's largest air power and these jokers do not have their own in-house R&D, like those similar to the Indian Navy. Ha! ha, the bunch of jokers talk of patriotism on on hand and on the other hand they preach to defend Indian air space using foreign made aircraft's. These bunch of jokers along with Indian Army, neta, police, judge and babus are a special species of hypocrites.
I wish that these special species are exported to foreign land for good as they support everything foreign.
where does it say tht NCC wants to procure foreign made microlight/ X-air is a Bengaluru based company. Complete made in India except for engine imported from Austria (Rotax,Jabiru)
Zenith has much more experience than X Air, so i am not surprised about the larger number of Zeniths. If anyone, blame the government for successfully, killing any innovation in the aviation sector. You can even have a 2.4 GHZ radio installed in a radio controlled model airplane without breaking some law. Experimental and homebuilt aircrafts in india- ha!! forget it.
I knew of guy in Conoor tea estate who had assembled a full fledged microlight in his basement. He used to acrt it all the way to Coimbatore and fly it as a hobby I think his name was Rahul Kaura. He was a medically unfit airline pilot. If he can do it why can't someone in our entire country go about it. Wouldn't our designated Rashtriya Udyog Ratnas like to give it a shot or they rather cry over the lost Rustom deal ? Of course instant gratification would also be an issue as a lot of swaet and grind would be involved.
Actually the microlites are being manufactured & sold by Agni Areosports,Bangalore in collaboration with Zenair an european ultralight aviation company….The primary users are the NDA & the NCC (Air Wing)…