After years of promises that the first flight of its Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) was just months away, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) finally got it into the air on March 29, 2010. As with most aircraft development programs, it seems, the LCH is years late and overweight.rnThe 5,500 kg (12,000 lb) LCH began its first ground runs on February 4 and completed ground check-out testing over the next six weeks. HAL's rotary wing chief test pilot - Wing Commander Unni Pillai - and Group Captain Hari Nair made the first flight at the HAL facility in Bangalore, India. The flight lasted nearly 30 minutes and consisted of hovers, turns and low speed maneuvers over the airfield at a height of about 50 ft.
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