AUGUST 30, 2001 was a milestone day in the annals of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, India's aircraft manufacturer. On this day, the country's first aerospace museum, HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum was inaugurated in Bangalore by the Karnataka Tourism Minister Roshan Beg.

HAL is celebrating it's Diamond Jubilee this year and nothing could be befitting than opening an aerospace museum in the Aerospace City of India. The initiative to build a Heritage Centre and an aerospace museum was taken by the immediate past Chairman of HAL, Padma Shree Dr. C. G. Krishnadas Nair.

Situated on a 10-acre land adjacent to the Bagalore Airport on Vartur Road, the HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum, it showcases the achievements of HAL in the last sixty years. The centre depicts the growth of the Indian aviation industry for six decades. The museum has two halls housing various displays and a sprawling outdoor exhibit park area where actual aircraft and helicopters and models have been displayed.

Photographs of important achievements are displayed for each decade starting from 1940. In Hall 1, for each decade a separate enclosure has been made and photographs and aviation-related stamps are displayed in translite form with appropriate captions. Aircraft and spacevehicle models were also displayed in this Hall. Halll is a circular structure, which has been divided into seven equal parts each depicting history for a particular decade. There is also a Hall of Fame in this Hall where photographs of various heads i of the organisation has been displayed. Also displayed over here are photographs of various HAL officials receiving awards for their distinguished contributions to HAL and the country.

The Centre houses a small theatre where audio-visual presentations are screened continuously. These include statements made by past and present Chairmen and Managing Directors and other eminent personalities of HAL on the company's achievements. Also screened are films on various air shows and aviation-related subjects. The films on the air shows are of particular interest to the general visitor as he can witness thrilling aerobatic displays of various combat aircraft in the world on a wide screen.

The section Aircraft Manufactur ing Technologies provides insights on the various technologies involved in aircraft manufacture and also show the changes in technologies that have taken place over the last six decades. Eight translites depicting the changes in technologies with write-ups and photographs in respect of materials, manufacturing technologies, engines and engine testing, aircraft systems and testing are displayed. This section is very informative not only to a general viewer, but also to students of aeronautics.

In order to understand the working principals of aircraft engines, the Centre has displayed engines cut out models. The display includes cut out models of Artouse engine for Chetak and Cheetah helicopters, Dart engine for HS- 748 Avro transport aircraft, Garrett engine for Dornier 228 aircraft and Orpheus engine for Kiran trainer aircraft. Hall 2 is a delight for one and all. This building houses two aircraft simulators. The visitor to this section not only enjoys to experience of flying, but also learns the principals behind flying. The simulators are capable of teaching both basic and advanced flying of various types of aircraft. Multi-media projection system is used to project the views from the cockpit on the bigger screen with a good sound effect.

Visitors at this section can also enjoy a birds-eye view form an Air Traffic Control Tower. The dummy ATC Tower is located is such a way that it overlooks the Bangalore Airport runway and gives the visitors the feeling of being in a real control tower. The working principle of various equipment and instruments used in the ATCare demonstrated to the visitors. Boards depicting the history of navigation during the early days and the present navigation system using automated instrument landing are also displayed at the ATC tower.

The outdoor static park area displays various aircraft and helicopters, which have been designed, developed and built by HAL, as well as those produced under licence. These include HT -2 trainer, Pushpak, Kiran (all trainers), HF-24 Marut, MiG-21, Light Combat Aircraft (mock-up) Canbera Bomber, Devon and Dornier 228 Transport aircraft, Basant utility aircraft. Helicopters include Advanced Light Helicopter, Chetak and Cheetah, the more recent entry is a Sea King. On the space side, 1:10 scale model of the GSLV, heat shied of the launch vehicle have been displayed.

The Heritage Centre has a library will a good collection of historical books and magazines on aviation, which can be used as reference materials. It also has an Aero Modelling Club where children above 12 years can join. The HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum is now open to the general public and has becomea major tourism centre.