NEWS:
The Royal Air Force (RAF) has had to ground the entire fleet of training aircraft following two incidents when propellers came off in mid-flight, meaning they have been unable to teach new pilots for almost five months now. Defence sources have described the grounding of the Grob-115E Tutor aircraft as a ‘complete fiasco’. The aircraft have not flown since January 9, 2013, following an incident at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire when a plane’s propeller broke off in flight forcing an emergency landing. There was a similar incident on August 23, 2012, also near Cranwell, which had been put down to lightning strike. And in 2004, a propeller on one of the Grob aircraft broke up as it performed an aerobatic manoeuvre.

VIEWS
With the grounding of the entire fleet of the 90-strong Grob-115E Tutor piston engine elementary flying training aircraft following few instances of serious technical malfunction in flight over nearly a decade, the RAF today is in a predicament that is somewhat similar to what the Indian Air Force (IAF) was in at the end of July 2009.

On July 29 that year, the IAF took the difficult but necessary decision to ground its fleet of 100-odd single-piston engine basic trainer aircraft, the HPT-32, built and maintained by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). This fleet had been in service with the IAF since the early 1990s. This decision was literally forced upon the IAF after a series of accidents on account of serious technical malfunction in flight that resulted in fatalities. As a result, the IAF was suddenly left high and dry without a basic trainer fleet and had no option but to switch over to basic flying training on the already ageing HAL-built jet trainer fleet of the HJT-16 Kiran aircraft. The rather sudden grounding of the HPT-32 fleet was not the best option, but the IAF perhaps had no alternative as the Indian aerospace major had no immediate or ready solution to offer to solve the problem. The grounding of the fleet had a cascading effect on the basic flying training of pilots for the Indian Army and the Indian Navy as well. The IAF initiated a case on fast-track for the procurement of 75 basic trainer aircraft from foreign sources.

Today, the RAF is also in a similar state as it does not appear to have a viable alternative or quick solution in sight. In this case too, pilot training for the other two services i.e. the Royal Navy and the British Army have also been adversely affected. And just as there was a difference of opinion between AVCO Lycoming, the manufacturer of the engine fitted on the HPT-32 and HAL about the root cause of frequent technical failures and remedial action, so also there is a dichotomy of views between the maintenance contractor Babcock and the German manufacturer of Grob aircraft, about the agency responsible for the technical failures which not only included in-flight separation of the propeller but in one case the canopy as well. The dispute is over whether there is an inherent design flaw in the engine and propeller combination or that there is deficiency in maintenance. Just as in the case of the HPT-32, the problem of repeated engine failure did not lie with the engine, here too, the technical failure appears to be attributable to the oil system that leads to propeller failure. Attempts to resolve the problem using a newly designed propeller had not been successful so far. Babcock is the contractor that owns the fleet of Grob-115E Tutor aircraft and provides performance based logistic support to the RAF with the trainer fleet.

The RAF procured the Grob-115E Tutor aircraft in preference over the Slingsby Firefly designed, developed and manufactured by the indigenous industry of the UK. Incidentally, the turboprop version, the Grob-120TP, was one of the six contenders to bid for the contract for 75 basic trainer aircraft for the IAF. The Grob-120TP appeared to be a strong contender for the contract as it claimed to be the world’s lightest trainer, is equipped with ejection seats for both pilots and has the lowest cost of acquisition, operation and maintenance amongst the contenders in the race. The Grob-120TP did not make to the shortlist of three as the IAF was keen on tandem seating as against the side by side seating in the Grob trainer. Eventually, the IAF opted for the Pilatus PC-7 MkII, induction of which has already begun. Possibly, the track record of technical failures also went against Grob. It is understood that Botswana also has decided in favour of the Pilatus PC-7 MkII over the Grob.

As per the Swiss manufacturer, “The Pilatus PC-7 MkII offers a reliable and economic training platform. The docile behaviour of the PC-7 MkII in the hands of a beginner delivers a confidence-building environment for inexperienced cadets. With its highly cost-efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25C engine, it provides the lowest engine operating costs of all turboprop trainer aircraft.” Till date, the Swiss manufacturer has sold over 500 aircraft during the past three decades to 21 air forces worldwide.

In retrospect, it appears that the IAF seems to have made the right decision by opting for the Pilatus PC-7 MkII.