HAL HJT-16 Kiran

what is it?

The HAL HJT-16 Kiran (lit. 'Ray of light') is an Indian two-seat intermediate jet-powered trainer aircraft designed and manufactured by aircraft company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The Kiran was developed at the behest of the Indian Air Force (IAF), who sought a new intermediate trainer aircraft for its pilots. On 4 September 1964, the type performed its maiden flight; mass production commenced shortly thereafter.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 jet engine · 10.7 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 695 km/htop speed
• size 4,235 kgmax take-off weight
• built 190made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 62 years ago, in 1964.
• 🏎️Top speed is 5.3× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 10.7 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.0× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1964-09-04

introduced

1968

status

still flying

number built

190

role

intermediate jet trainer

origin

🇮🇳 India

makers

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

engines

1× Rolls-Royce Viper 11

crew

2

length

10.6 m

wingspan

10.7 m

height

3.6 m

max take-off weight

4,235 kg

top speed

695 km/h

cruise speed

324 km/h

range

—

ceiling

9,150 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.