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Helicopters

Weeks after chopper crash kills 3, top official urges ALH design review

A senior Indian Coast Guard official has called for design re-evaluations of the Advanced Light Helicopter after one of the military choppers of the maritime security agency crashed in Gujarat earlier this month, killing three. ICG Inspector General and Regional Commander (West) Bhisham Sharma said on Thursday that ALH has been in the service for the past 20 years and the Coast Guard has the Mark III version of the indigenous helicopters called Dhruv. We have undertaken extensive flying operations. I have myself taken a ferry (helicopter ride) from Agatti to Minicoy and from Minicoy to Kavaratti (in Lakshadweep) again. It is a wonderful machine but few incidents certainly call for some design re-evaluations," he told reporters in Mumbai. He said Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the ALH manufacturer, is working on it. Two pilots and an aircrew diver of an ALH of the Coast Guard were killed when the chopper crashed and caught fire at Gujarat's Porbandar airport on January 5. Following the

Weeks after chopper crash kills 3, top official urges ALH design review
Updated On : 31 Jan 2025 | 9:12 AM IST

2 pilots, 1 crew member killed as chopper crashes at Porbandar airport

Two pilots and a crew member were killed on Sunday after an Indian Coast Guard helicopter on a routine sortie crashed at Porbandar airport runway in Gujarat and caught fire, officials said. The maritime security agency said the reasons for the incident are being investigated through a Board of Inquiry. "ICG ALH MK-III helicopter CG 859 met with a mishap at Porbandar Airport Runway at about 1215 hrs on 05 Jan 25. The ICG helicopter had 02 Pilots and 01 Air Crew Diver at the time of the incident and was on a routine training sortie," an ICG statement said. Immediately after the incident, the crew was rescued and shifted to a government hospital at Porbandar, where they were declared as brought dead. The deceased are Commandant (JG) Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav and Navik Manoj Pradhan. They will be cremated as per service traditions and honour, the ICG stated. Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said the chopper crashed while landing near the Porbandar airp

2 pilots, 1 crew member killed as chopper crashes at Porbandar airport
Updated On : 05 Jan 2025 | 6:54 PM IST

Three killed as Indian Coast Guard chopper crashes in Gujarat's Porbandar

Three crew members were killed after a helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) crashed during landing at Porbandar airport in Gujarat on Sunday afternoon, police said. The incident took place at 12.10 pm, Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said. The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the ICG with three crew members onboard crashed during landing at the Porbandar airport, he said. The three crew members were brought out of the chopper and rushed to a hospital in Porbandar in a severely burnt condition, he said. All the three crew members died at the hospital, Kamala Baug police station's inspector Rajesh Kanmiya said.

Three killed as Indian Coast Guard chopper crashes in Gujarat's Porbandar
Updated On : 05 Jan 2025 | 1:58 PM IST

Pawan Hans secures Rs 2,000 cr contract for ONGC offshore helicopter ops

Pawan Hans will deploy made-in-India Dhruv NG helicopters, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation

Pawan Hans secures Rs 2,000 cr contract for ONGC offshore helicopter ops
Updated On : 18 Dec 2024 | 3:06 PM IST

Govt approves subsidised helicopter service for Jammu-Mendhar route in J-K

The Centre has approved a new subsidised helicopter route connecting Jammu-Poonch-Mendhar with an additional option of Jammu-Mendhar-Jammu route, an official said. The decision follows a proposal submitted by Jammu and Kashmir Civil Aviation Department secretary Mohammad Aijaz Asad for connecting the remote area of Mendhar directly with the winter capital Jammu, the official said. Subsidised helicopter services are already operational in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Kishtwar-Sounder-Navapachi-Ishan-Kishtwar, Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch-Jammu, Jammu-Doda-Kishtwar-Jammu, Bandipora-Kanzalwan- Dawar-Niri-Bandipora, and Kupwara-Machil-Tangdhar-Keran-Kupwara. Quoting a communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the official said it has given its approval to the proposal to operate the subsidised helicopter services on the new route of Jammu-Poonch-Mendhar with an additional option of Jammu-Mendhar-Jammu. The Union Territory has been advised to claim the subsidy from the .

Govt approves subsidised helicopter service for Jammu-Mendhar route in J-K
Updated On : 15 Dec 2024 | 12:15 PM IST

US okays $1.2-bn MH-60R helicopter equipment sale to India: Why it matters

Indian Navy commissioned its first squadron of MH-60R Seahawk multi-role helicopters in March

US okays $1.2-bn MH-60R helicopter equipment sale to India: Why it matters
Updated On : 03 Dec 2024 | 3:06 PM IST

US govt approves sale of $1.17 bn of MH-60R helicopter equipment to India

The Biden Administration on Monday notified the Congress of its decision to approve the sale of MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter Equipment and related ones at an estimated cost of USD1.17 billion. The proposed sale will improve India's capability to deter current and future threats by upgrading its anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a notification to the Congress. The Biden administration's approval of sale of major defense equipment to India comes weeks ahead of its completion of its four-year term. President-elect Donald Trump would be sworn in as 47th president of the United States of America on January 20, 2025. According to the notification, India has requested to buy 30 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS). It also included advanced data transfer systems; external fuel tanks; AN/AAS 44C(V) forward looking infrared (FLIR) systems; an operator machine interface assistant; spare

US govt approves sale of $1.17 bn of MH-60R helicopter equipment to India
Updated On : 03 Dec 2024 | 8:09 AM IST

Body of missing pilot recovered off Gujarat coast after a month of crash

The body of a missing Indian Coast Guard pilot has been recovered over a month after a helicopter belonging to the maritime security agency crashed into the Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast, officials said on Friday. Three crew members went missing after the ALH MK-III helicopter fell into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2. While the bodies of two crew members were recovered subsequently, a search continued to trace Rakesh Kumar Rana, the pilot in command of the mission. Rana's body was recovered from the sea, nearly 55 km southwest of Porbandar, on October 10, the Coast Guard said in a release. ICG (Coast Guard) along with the Indian Navy and other stakeholders continued unrelenting search efforts to locate Commandant Rakesh Kumar Rana, who was the Pilot in Command of the mission. His mortal remains will be cremated as per service traditions and honour. A warm salute to the three brave souls from Rank and File of the Indian Coast Guard who laid down their lives in the line

Body of missing pilot recovered off Gujarat coast after a month of crash
Updated On : 11 Oct 2024 | 2:04 PM IST

Wreckage of helicopter located in Russia's far east, 17 bodies found

Rescuers have located a helicopter that went missing in Russia's far east with 22 people on board, officials said Sunday. Russia's emergencies ministry said the bodies of 17 people have been found and that rescuers were continuing to search for the remaining occupants. All those on board are presumed to have died, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said, citing the Emergencies Ministry, adding that the helicopter had likely crashed due to poor visibility in bad weather conditions. The wreckage of the previously missing helicopter was discovered from the air. It is located at an altitude of 900 metres near the place where it was last contacted, the emergencies ministry wrote on Telegram. The Mi-8 helicopter took off close to the Vachkazhets volcano in the Kamchatka region on Saturday but did not arrive at its destination as scheduled, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency earlier said in a statement. It said it believed that 19 passengers and three crew members were on board. T

Wreckage of helicopter located in Russia's far east, 17 bodies found
Updated On : 01 Sep 2024 | 11:08 PM IST

'Unauthorised' helicopter flight ends with crash on hotel roof in Australia

A man died after an unauthorised helicopter flight in Queensland, Australia ended in a crash on a hotel roof early Monday morning, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people from the building as flames engulfed the aircraft. Authorities in the city of Cairns said that they had not confirmed the identity of the pilot, his reason for making the flight or how the tourist helicopter was able to take off from Cairns Airport. A couple staying at the hotel was hospitalised suffering from smoke inhalation and have now been discharged, Queensland Police Service Acting Chief Superintendent Shane Holmes told reporters. No one else on the ground was hurt. Holmes said it was not known if the man flying the helicopter held a pilot's license or if he worked for the company that owned the craft, Nautilus Aviation. There is no further threat to the community, and we believe this is an isolated incident, Holmes said. Nautilus Aviation said in an unattributed written statement that the flight wa

'Unauthorised' helicopter flight ends with crash on hotel roof in Australia
Updated On : 12 Aug 2024 | 11:40 AM IST

India to boost helicopter manufacturing, says aviation minister Naidu

Expanding the helicopter industry presents a significant opportunity and the government is set to advance towards manufacturing helicopters, Union Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said on Friday. India is poised for a significant transformation in its aviation sector with the introduction of the Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill, 2024, he said. The Bill was moved for passage in the Lok Sabha on Friday. It promises to enhance the country's aviation capabilities, including helicopter manufacturing and the introduction of seaplanes. In a speech delivered while introducing the Bill, the minister highlighted the potential for growth in India's helicopter industry, noting that the country operated just 250 helicopters at present. "This is a great opportunity to tap into. We are going to manufacture helicopters and the state-of-design element in the Bill will improve the establishment of manufacturing plants and designs," he said. The minister expressed confidence that once the .

India to boost helicopter manufacturing, says aviation minister Naidu
Updated On : 09 Aug 2024 | 6:54 PM IST

Tata, Airbus sign contract to establish H125 Final Assembly Line in India

Airbus Helicopters and Tata Advanced Systems have made great progress in determining the FAL's location, which will be announced shortly

Tata, Airbus sign contract to establish H125 Final Assembly Line in India
Updated On : 23 Jul 2024 | 6:29 PM IST

Iran concludes polls to replace president killed in helicopter crash

Iranians voted on Friday to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a May helicopter crash in the country's northwest along with the foreign minister and several other officials. Analysts broadly described the race as a three-way contest. There are two hard-liners, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and the parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. Then there's the reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, who has aligned himself with those seeking a return to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. After record-low turnout in recent elections, it remains unclear how many Iranians will take part in Friday's poll. While 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, presidents can bend Iran toward confrontation or negotiations with the West. Currently: As Iran's presidential vote looms, tensions boil over regarding a renewed headscarf crackdown. An analysis explores how no matter who wins Iran's election, much may

Iran concludes polls to replace president killed in helicopter crash
Updated On : 29 Jun 2024 | 6:56 AM IST

ONGC slashes offshore helicopter sorties during monsoon to avoid accidents

India's top oil and gas producer ONGC has slashed helicopter sorties to its installations in the middle of sea on both east and west coast for three months to avoid any repeat of deadly accidents during monsoon that have plagued the firm's otherwise impeccable record, sources said. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has raised the duration of work-related stay of its employees at offshore platforms that help produce oil and gas from below seabed, from 14 days to 21 days but still short of the international norm of 28 days. This temporary measure is only for three months from June to August and has been effected with a view to cut the number of sorties helicopters would need to undertake to ferry men and material to the installations, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. ONGC did not reply to an email seeking to know why it is following a 21-day cycle when internationally 28-day cycle is followed. Internationally, personnel manning offshore oil and gas installations ar

ONGC slashes offshore helicopter sorties during monsoon to avoid accidents
Updated On : 02 Jun 2024 | 10:50 AM IST

Iran opens registration prez polls after helicopter crash killed Raisi

Iran opened a five-day registration period Thursday for hopefuls wanting to run in the June 28 presidential election to replace the late Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash earlier this month with seven others. The election comes as Iran grapples with the aftermath of the May 19 crash, as well as heightened tensions between Tehran and the United States, and protests including those over the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini that have swept the country. While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85, maintains final say over all matters of state, presidents in the past have bent the Islamic Republic of Iran toward greater interaction or increased hostility with the West. The five-day period will see those between the ages of 40 to 75 with at least a master's degree register as potential candidates. All candidates ultimately must be approved by Iran's 12-member Guardian Council, a panel of clerics and jurists ultimately overseen by Khamenei. That panel has never accepted a ..

Iran opens registration prez polls after helicopter crash killed Raisi
Updated On : 30 May 2024 | 12:52 PM IST

Universal Vulkaan to bring 30 Leonardo helicopters to India in next 3 years

Bullish on the Indian market which is "ready for expansion", Universal Vulkaan Aviation on Wednesday said it will bring 30 Leonardo helicopters into the country over the next three years. Universal Vulkaan Aviation Pte Ltd (UVA) is the distributor in India for Italy-based Leonardo Helicopters. The company, which is based in New Delhi, will bring a total of 30 helicopters -- 16 new and 14 from the pre-owned market -- over the next three years. "After signing the pre-sales contract for 5 units of AW09 machines in January 2024, UVA has ordered 11 units from types AW109 Trekker, AW139, AW169, from the Leonardo Helicopters... This is in addition to the 14 helicopters that were purchased by the Vulkaan Group from the pre-owned market, which include the AW 119Kx and AW 109 Trekker," a release said. The models have seating capacities varying from 5 to 15. Karan Sethi, Sales Director at UVA, told PTI that the current Indian market is ready for expansion, and its product portfolio in both .

Universal Vulkaan to bring 30 Leonardo helicopters to India in next 3 years
Updated On : 29 May 2024 | 9:41 AM IST

Helicopter carrying pilgrims makes emergency landing in Kedarnath

A helicopter with seven people, including pilgrims, on board made an emergency landing in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath after developing a technical snag early on Friday. The helicopter landed a few metres from the helipad at the Himalayan temple, an official said. It was carrying seven people, including six pilgrims and the pilot. Everyone is safe, he said. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar said the helicopter took off from the Sirsi helipad for Kedarnath early on Friday. It developed a technical snag in its rear motor, prompting the pilot to make an emergency landing a few metres from the helipad in Kedarnath, he said citing preliminary reports. The pilot kept his cool and took a quick decision, averting a major mishap, Gaharwar said. Everyone is safe and the pilgrims have even returned after having "darshan" at the temple, he added. The incident occurred around 7 am and further investigations are underway, Gaharwar said.

Helicopter carrying pilgrims makes emergency landing in Kedarnath
Updated On : 24 May 2024 | 12:30 PM IST

10 killed as 2 Malaysian military choppers collide and crash while training

Two Malaysian military helicopters collided and crashed during a training session on Tuesday, killing all 10 people on board, the navy said. The helicopters were rehearsing at a naval base in northern Perak state for the navy's 90th anniversary celebration next month when the accident occurred, the navy said in a brief statement. All victims were confirmed dead on site," it said, adding that the remains have been sent to the hospital to be identified. Seven crew members were aboard the AW139 maritime operation helicopter, the navy said. That aircraft is produced by AgustaWestland, which is a subsidiary of the Italian defence contractor Leonardo. Three other crew members were on a Fennec lightweight helicopter, manufactured by European multinational defense conglomerate Airbus. Local media reported that the AW139 crashed at a sports complex at the naval base, while the Fennec hit a nearby swimming pool. The navy said it will launch an investigation to determine what caused the

10 killed as 2 Malaysian military choppers collide and crash while training
Updated On : 23 Apr 2024 | 9:51 PM IST

2 Japanese navy helicopters crash in Pacific Ocean; 1 dead, 7 missing

Two Japanese navy helicopters carrying eight crewmembers were believed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo during a night-time training exercise, and rescuers were searching for the missing, Japan's defense minister said. The two SH-60K choppers belonging to the Maritime Self Defense Force and carrying four crew each, lost contact late Saturday near Torishima island in the Pacific about 600 kilometers (370 miles) south of Tokyo, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters. One of the eight crewmembers was recovered from the waters, but his or her condition was unknown. Officials were still searching for the other seven. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Kihara said, adding that officials are prioritizing the rescue operation. The MSDF deployed eight warships and five aircraft for the search and rescue of the missing crew. They recovered fragments believed to be from one of the SH-60Ks, Kihara said. We believe the helicopters have crashed, he said.

2 Japanese navy helicopters crash in Pacific Ocean; 1 dead, 7 missing
Updated On : 21 Apr 2024 | 7:58 AM IST