Base system of break parachute and hovercraft
– Photo : Social Media
Expansion
Ordnance Parachute Factory (OPF), a unit of Gliders India Limited, Kanpur will make the break parachute for the Advanced Tejas fighter aircraft. The factory has prepared its prototype. Its field trial will be started in December after fitting it in the fighter aircraft. Apart from this, the factory will make the base system of hovercraft for the first time in the country.
Under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, brake and pilot parachutes of Sukhoi, Hawk, Mirage, Jaguar, Tejas, Mig 21, Mig-29 fighter planes are currently manufactured in the factory. With the help of brake parachutes, fighter planes are landed safely on the runway. Safe landing is done with the help of these parachutes on short runways or sea warships. A modern version of the Tejas fighter plane has now been made in the country. The prototype of the brake parachute of this plane has been made in OPF.
The unicross shaped parachute has a total of seven sub-assemblies. The basic fabric used in the canopy of this parachute is of Nylon 66 type. A prototype of this parachute weighing about 10 kg has been made. This parachute will be able to stop the plane at an emergency speed of 340-350 kmph instead of the normal 285-300 kmph. It can be used for 10 years or 50-55 times.