Planes, Artifical Birds -- Doesn't they spark your interest ? When I read in schools about the wright brothers inventing them, challenging birds to break their monopoly in skies I was curious..how can they fly? What makes them fly? How are they produced? Year after year i grew, so did my fascination. I would be the first to turn on the TV on Aug 15th, just to see the wonderful fighter jets forming the tricolor in sky. I had developed a love for these artifical birds. And Aerospace engineering was one field that always interested me, but thanks to my knowledge skills it remained a dream. HAL's, NAL's have always amazed me and at every opportunity during my engineering days i did try to get an internship opening. But as merit had no place and i had no contacts i couldnt break into them. My dream was under the carpet still. Trust me when i say my first flight was when i was 21 yrs old on July 26th from Delhi to Hyderabad, thanks to Whirlpool. That was the first time i touched the human bird. I flew the sky, with still a wish 'when i can see the making of them'.
On 9th April 2010 (a day when my cousin was getting engaged in India), i was living my dream. I was at the place where these beauties are made. Specialised for Trainner Fighters (defence purpose) & engine nacelles (for civil) it was one of the best Industrial visits. The place had some kind of magic in it, as i entered the supply chain expert in me took a back seat and engineer in me was re-born or more appropriately kid in me jumping up and down. 2 hours of presentation concentrated on the supply chain was interesting enough, but the main purpose of this 7.2 Euro trip was to see the making of these bitches. The bitches that train the pilots for wars. As we moved into the shop floor it was nothing but spectacular !
Composite unit - metal to metal bonding, composite to composite bonding, laser technology, curing etc.. Touching the fins of the Airbus and Boeings this metallurgical and materials engineer's mind was getting excited. From composite shop to the metal forming shop :- where for the first time i saw a rubber press which can form the metal. Can you imagine rubber doing that to metal ?? If that was not enough a few steps and it was water piercing the metal to shapes of its interest. The power of water - true; cutting the metal. I was spell bound, i never heard about that leave wanting to see that in 23 yrs. And here i was staring at the magic stream forcing it ways into steel, titanium, light alloys. My day as an engineer was made. More was on its way Machining, Heat treatment, Painting - all these process are unique in their own sense and far more technical, complicated than the automobiles (that's the technology related industry that i have seen). The whole experience had it own pleasure and learning because we were fortuned to see both the fighter's and civilians part's getting made. From parts, processes we went to final assembly unit where the final piece that competes and overturns birds in the sky was getting made. The walk down that 1 km square was all i have been dreaming all these years. The whole picture of M-346 being assembled will stay fresh forever in my life. Mind you that was the 5th trainner that was being meticulously put together under the vision of the mother depatment (RnD). Parellely on the other line we got the glimpse of M-311 which had completed its first journey (flight hours before first time full maintanence) in sky churning out more than 30 experts over 4-5 yrs of its flights. Third line - was getting laid. Believed them when they said the 3rd one is a masterpiece and the most ergonomic line designed ever in aerospace industry, such was their technical expertise. It was time to go back to the presentation room to pack bags and leave. But, If the menu till now was delicious, there was an icing on the cake. The newly launched M-346 was making it testing. It was about to take off from the run way. Paused to see the leader in fighter trainer's designed to prepare the piolts of new generation combat aircraft flying today. How many times in my life will i be able to see this red bitch or to that matter any fighter taking off from a distance of 100m ?
In 30 minutes with all the signals cleared this bitch full away into sky -- beautiful 'flying'. The cycle complete- seeing them fly, to flying in them, to making of them and to seeing them fly !! Man had lived his dream of flying long back and I had lived mine !! April 9th will go done in memory books for more than engagement that took place back in India.
PS: Company name intensionally avoided. M-346 is the latest one that can train the pilots for the next 10 yrs of changes that aerospace industry will go through. M- 311 is the bread and butter of today's pilot.
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