INTRODUCTION

HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LIMITED, often referred to

as HAL, is an Indian state-owned defence and aerospace
company with its base at Bengaluru, India. The companys
governance takes place under the management of the Indian
Ministry of Defence. This government owned corporation is
primarily involved in the production works of the aerospace
industry. These include manufacturing and assembly of aircraft,
navigation and related communication equipment and airports
operation. HAL has several facilities spread across India which
include manufacturing plants at Nasik, Korwa, Kanpur, Koraput,
Lucknow, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The first ever fighter
aircraft to be made in India is the HF-24 Marut fighter bomber,
the brainchild of German Engineer Kurt Tank.

HISTORY
HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LIMITED had its inception as
Hindustan Aircraft in Bangalore in 1940 on 23 Dec.
Hindustan Aircraft Company was duly incorporated under the
Mysore Companies Act as a private Ltd Company. Walchand
Tulsidas- Khatau Ltd was the Managing agency. Its first directors
were: Mr. Walchand Hirachand, Chairman, Mr.Tulsidas
Khilachand, Mr.Dharmsey Mularaj Khatau, Mr A.N. Raghavachar
(Mysore State Representative), Mr.Venkatanaranappa (Mysore
State Representative). Companys office was opened at a
bungalow called "Eventide" on Domlur Road. This was followed
by a series of developments ultimately leading to the present
status of the organization which can be sorted into a timeline
as under:

1940
Allotment of 700 acres of initial land and an investment
of 25 lakhs by the Maharaja of Mysore.
Setting up of the organization and equipment for the
factory
at
Bangalore
by
William
D
Pawley,

Intercontinental Aircraft Corporation, New York. Most of

the machine tools and equipments were obtained from
the United States.

1941
One third stake in the company was bought by the Indian
Government by investing 25 lakhs. This decision was
primarily motivated to boost British military hardware
supplies in Asia to counter increasing threat posed by
Imperial Japan during World War II.

1942
Nationalisation of the company when the Indian Govt.
bought out the stakes of the first directors and promoters
so that it could be a freely functional body.

1943
Handing over of the Bangalore factory to the United States
Army Air Forces but still using Hindustan Aircraft
management. It evolved as a major overhaul and repair
hub of several American Aircrafts and was known as the
84th Air Depot. First aircraft to be overhauled was a
Consolidated PBY Catalina.

1945
The factory returned back to Indian control while it had
already become one of the largest overhaul and repair
organisations in the east. The company also produced
railway carriages as an interim activity during post war
reorganization period.

1947
The management of the company was passed over to the
Government of India.

1963
Aeronautics India Limited was set up by the government
India on 16th August 1963 to undertake manufacturing of
the MiG FL aircraft, for which the government entered into
collaboration agreement with the government of USSR in
August 1962. Factories were set up at Nasik for
manufacture of airframes, at Koraput for manufacture of
MIG engines and Hyderabad for manufacture of the MIG
avionics. The first 21Fl aircraft was produced in July 1966.

1964
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was formed on 1st
October, when Hindustan Aircraft Limited joined the
consortium formed in June by the IAF Aircraft
Manufacturing Depot, Kanpur (at the time manufacturing
HS748 under licence) and the group recently set up to
manufacture MiG-21 under licence (with its new factories
planned in Koraput, Nasik and Hyderabad). The company
played a very crucial role in the modernisation of the
Indian Air Force.

1970s
Separate division for the production of Alouette III
(Chetak) lama (Cheetah) helicopter was set up at
Bangalore in July, 1969.
Facilities for the manufacturing aircraft instruments and
accessories were set up at Lucknow.
A design bureau was set up at Lucknow in 1973

1980s
Development of new indigenous aircrafts such as the HAL
Tejas and HAL Dhruv.
Development of an advanced version of the MikoyanGurevich MiG-21, known as MiG-21 Bison, which increased
its life-span by more than 20 years.

 HAL has also obtained several multimillion-dollar contracts

from leading international aerospace firms such as Airbus,
Boeing and Honeywell to manufacture aircraft spare parts
and engines.
In August, 1982, advanced systems division was set up at
Korwa.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENGINE

DIVISION,SUNABEDA, KORAPUT
The government sanction for the first phase of construct of the
Aero engine factory at Sunabeda (Koraput) was accorded March
1964 and the factory started manufacture of R11F2-Series-III
engines for fitment on MIG-21FL Aircraft from 1969 onwards.
The first engines of imported category manufactured in
December 1968 and various categories of engines were
produced during the subsequent years. The first raw material
engine was produced in February 1971.The production
programmes for the factory also include manufacture of forging
and casting required for MIG-Aircraft.
To meet the Air force requirement for improved fight interceptor
aircraft, an agreement was signed with USSR in August1976 for
manufacturing MiG-21BIS Aircraft. The power plant of this
aircraft is the R25 turbojet engine. The government approval
for setting up capital facilities was accorded in October 1977.
The first engine of imported category delivered to HAL Nasik
Division in the year 1978-79.The FI raw material engine was
delivered during January1983.
With signing of the inter governmental agreement for
manufacture of MiG 27M Aircraft on 19 th March 1982, this
Division would be involved in the manufacture of R-29B series
of engine from the year 1984-85.
In order to attain self-sufficiency and to avoid difficulties
regarding supply of Raw Material & other layout items from

USSR, it was decided to provide indigenous supply of spares

manufacturing for Overhaul/maintenance of the fleet.

AN OVERVIEW
STATUS

OF

THE

CURRENT

Today, HAL has 19 Production Units and 10 Research and

Design Centers in 8 locations in India. The Company has
impressive
product
track
record-15
types
of
aircrafts/Helicopters manufactured with in-house R&D and 14
types produced under license. HAL has manufactured over
3646 Aircrafts/Helicopters, 4096 engines and overhauled
over 9447 aircraft and 29886 engines.
HAL has been successful in numerous R & D programs
developed for both Defense and Civil Aviation sectors. HAL has
made substantial progress in some of the projects, viz.
Dhruv - Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)
Tejas - Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)
Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT)
Various military and civil upgrades.
HAL has played a significant role for India's space programs by
participating in the manufacture of structures for Satellite
Launch Vehicles like
PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)
GSLV (Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle)
IRS (Indian Remote Satellite)
INSAT (Indian National Satellite)
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has four main complexes in
India, viz.

1.

BANGALORE COMPLEX

(A)
Aircrafts

Aircraft Division

Manufacturing Jaguar

(B) Engine Division

Jaguar Engines

Manufacturing

(C) Helicopter Division

Helicopters

Manufacturing

(D) Forge and Foundry Division

precision

- Manufacturing high

castings and forging.

(E) Overhaul Division
and other

Overhaul of Jaguar
engines

(F)
Space Division
launching of

Manufacturing

of

pads and
common satellites

(G) Servicing Division

services to all

For common
Divisions

2.

MiG COMPLEX

(A) Nasik Division

overhaul of

Manufacturing and
Airframes.

(B) Koraput Division

Overhaul of

Manufacturing and
MiG

engines

3.

ACCESSORIES COMPLEX

(A) Hyderabad Division

electronics and

- Manufacturing of
navigati

onal equipment

(B) Kanpur Division

of passenger

- Manufacturing
Aircraft

and gliders.

(C) Lucknow Division

of hydraulic

- Manufacturing
pumps,

fuel pumps and stator

generat
or.

(D) Korwa Division

of advanced

- Manufacturing

navigati
onal equipment.

4.

DESIGN COMPLEX

Bangalore Division
component or

- Modification of any
unit of

an engine.

BASIC OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPANY

To serve as an instrument of the national policy to achieve
self-reliance in the design, development and production
aircraft and aeronautical equipment to meet the counter
changing and growing needs, with special emphasis on
millet requirement.

In fulfillment of these objectives, the company shall regard

its fundamentally responsible for design and development,
rely however, upon such relevant facilities as are available
in to national institutions, but always holding itself
basically responsible for the growth and furtherance of the
counter aeronautics capability.

To conduct its business economically and efficiently it can

contribute its due share to the national effort achieving a
self-reliant and self-generating economy.

 Towards this end, to develop and maintain an organization

which will readily respond to and adopt the changing
matrix of soc techno-economic relationship and where in a
climate of grow professional competence, self-discipline,
mutual understand deep commitment and a sense of
belonging will be fostered each employee will be
encouraged to grow in accordance with potential for the
furtherance of the organization.
The recommendations of the review were subsequently
approved by the board of Directors in September 1972
and forwarded government, who informed the company in
May 1973 that the company may adopt these objectives.
These objectives remain essential unchanged to date
except that they have been amplified in 1983 through the
medium of MDs dated 14th 1983 emphasizing the
following:

That our products are of the highest quality and

reliability.
That our products are fully supported after sale to
customer.
That capacity utilization is optimized, restoring which
is necessary to diversification and export.
Greater thrust towards indigenization of materials
and product to improve self-reliance.