The Bharat Swati (or sometimes BHEL Swati) is an Indian two-seat training monoplane designed by the Technical Centre of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and built by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.[1]

Swati
Role Two-seat training monoplane
National origin India
Manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
Designer Directorate General of Civil Aviation
First flight 17 November 1990
Number built ~20

Design and development

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The Swati is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a steel tube fuselage covered in fabric at the rear and composite material at the front.[1] It has metal tail surfaces and wooden wings and a fixed landing gear with a steerable nosewheel.[1] The Swati has a 116 hp (87 kW) Lycoming O-235 piston engine at the front driving a two-bladed propeller.[1] Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered 40 to be distributed to civil flying clubs in India.

Variants

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  • LT-1M Swati
  • LT-2M Swati

Specifications

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Data from Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 7.21 m (23 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.2 m (30 ft 3 in)
  • Height: 2.78 m (9 ft 1.5 in)
  • Wing area: 11.96 m2 (128.74 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 530 kg (1,168 lb)
  • Gross weight: 770 kg (1,698 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-235-N2C piston engine , 87 kW (116 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 268 km/h (167 mph, 145 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 195 km/h (121 mph, 105 kn)
  • Range: 453 km (282 mi, 245 nmi)
  • Endurance: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Service ceiling: 3,050 m (10,000 ft)

Incidents and Accidents

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On 3 June 1993, a Swati (VT-STC) being test flown at Haridwar crashed when its starboard wing broke off after coming out of a loop, killing the test pilot.[2]

On 29 November 2001, a Swati LT II (VT-STO) of the Kerala Aviation Training Centre on a training flight at Thiruvananthapuram crashed due to pilot error, destroying the aircraft.[3]

References

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Notes

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Bibliography

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  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1996). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory. London, England: Brassey's. ISBN 1-85753-198-1.