New Delhi: Investigations by Central probe agencies the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the AgustaWestland helicopter deal have revealed that just two months after S.P. Tyagi took charge as Air Force Chief, the Air Headquarters, on March 7, 2005, agreed to reduce the mandatory service ceiling of VVIP helicopters from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres, reversing its earlier stand that a change in service ceiling was “non-negotiable”.
Sources said, “It was during the tenure of S.P. Tyagi that the Air Force conceded to reduce the service ceiling for VVIP helicopters to 4,500 metres as mandatory ‘operational requirement (OR)’. The IAF had been earlier vehemently opposing it on the grounds of security constraints.”
The Air Headquarters, in April 2004, had reached the decision that AgustaWestland was not an option for VVIP helicopters due to its failure in meeting the service ceiling mandatory OR, the sources said.
