The Aero India trade show in Bangalore is the occasion for Turbomeca to report the successful maiden flight of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Dhruv helicopter. Featuring two Ardiden 1H1 series production engines, this flight took place on January 12 at the HAL Helicopter Division, Bangalore, India.

The Ardiden 1H1 engine, to be certified in India under the name 'Shakti', demonstrated excellent aeromechanical behavior during this maiden flight, confirming its performance capabilities in demanding flight conditions at altitude on the Leh base in north India.

HAL's Chairman, Ashok K Baweja, commented, "We are very confident about the Turbomeca Ardiden 1H1 program. HAL has already received the first five engines integrating components of our definition."

The Ardiden 1H1 has been designed to carry out the most demanding missions at altitude and in hot and cold weather. Developed in cooperation with HAL as part of an industrial partnership agreement signed in February 2003, this engine combines simplicity, state-of-the-art technology, robustness and modernity, and all for a significantly lower cost of ownership in comparison to its competitors.

The Dhruv has a take-off weight of 5,500 kg and will initially equip the Indian Armed forces. Under the February 2003 agreement, several hundred engines are to be produced over the next 10 years.

The Indian Ministry of Defence has ordered 159 Dhruv helicopters to date.

This new turboshaft engine is the latest addition to the broad Turbomeca range, the most extensive on the market today.

Twin Turbomeca Engines for the Dhruv

The Dhruv helicopter features two different Turbomeca engines based on the TM333-2B2 and Ardiden 1H1 / Shakti engines.

The TM 333 2B2, certified by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) in December 2001, was also selected by HAL to power the Dhruv. With a take-off power of 1,100 shp, the engine's simple modular architecture combines reliability, easy maintainability and low fuel consumption. HAL has placed orders for several hundred engines, with more than 250 already delivered.

The design of the Ardiden 1H1 / Shakti is fundamentally different, boasting a take-off power of 1,200 shp and an emergency rating 30% higher than that of the TM333 2B2. The engine's performance is particularly suitable for high altitude, hot and cold weather conditions.