New Delhi: The inaugural Naval Flight Test Seminar was held at Goa today, on 20 Sep 18. The seminar witnessed some intensive brain-storming sessions on flight testing fixed and rotary wing aircraft towards integrating them on the aircraft carrier and small decks. There were also a series of papers which were presented on weapon integration on service aircraft and towards building and sustaining the training for Naval Experimental Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers. Among the various Indian panel speakers, the seminar witnessed participation from the International arena including Boeing, Dassault and International Test Pilots School.
The Naval Flight Test Seminar had keen involvement from scientists and heads of various DRDO labs, Defence Avionics Research Establishment, Aeronautical Development Agency, National Aerospace Laboratories and Centre for Airborne Systems. The industry participation was from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Boeing Defence and Dassault Aviation, in addition to the retired and serving experimental test crew from Indian Navy. The inaugural flight test seminar was organized under the aegis of Headquarters Western Naval Command and Headquarters Naval Aviation under which a Naval Flight Test Squadron was recently set up at Goa. The Naval Flight Test Squadron, since its inception in Jul 17, has been undertaking various flight testing tasks on fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft of Indian Navy. The seminar was given the right thrust by the presence of former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd) alongwith Flag Officer Naval Aviation, Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil, NM, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air) Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana, NM and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air Materiel) Rear Admiral VM Doss, NM.
