Bengaluru: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited successfully carried out Hot-Refuelling process to the first indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas, for the first time in Indian history, at HAL Airport, Bengaluru.

With this, the major requirement of the Indian Air Force from LCA Tejas is fulfilled. Now it is inching closer to the final operation clearance. After the Hot-Refuelling, the operations conducted by the pilots during the war was well demonstrated by the LCA Tejas, said HAL in a release.

Hot refueling is a single-point-pressure refueling of the aircraft with the engine in operation. It is a process by which a fighter aircraft is refueled (in between sorties), while its engine is in operation, thereby cutting down the refueling time by half and turn-around time significantly. This capability is highly desired in war condition which basically puts aside the need for the pilot to park the aircraft, power down and exit the cockpit for refueling to begin.

In usual condition, fueling is done only after parking the aircraft and pilot gets down from the cockpit. Now, LCA Tejas is identified as the first aircraft in the Indian Air force to have Hot-refuelling capacity.