Hyderabad: A Chetak helicopter belonging to Indian Air Force training centre at Dundigal made an emergency landing at Markook mandal of Siddipet district after the helicopter encountered a technical snag.
A trainee was reportedly flying the copter when at the time of the incident. He is said to be uninjured from the landing and the copter was also not damaged. Soon, a team of technicians reached the spot in a copter and resolved the snag in 90 minutes.
Hyderabad has the biggest IAF helicopter training base at Hakimpet where it operates Chetak helicopters that have crossed their service time.
Though now flying cadets, in the first six months of training, learn to fly helicopters and other basic exercises at the Air Force Station in Dundigal, IAF has not moved to phase out the Chetaks at Hakimpet despite a recommendation to upgrade the Indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters.
“The responsibility of the purchase of new helicopters is shared by the state and Central governments, ministry of defence, as well as, to some degree, the Armed forces themselves. These stakeholders need to take a call on the new procurement,” said a retired Wing Commander who commanded one of IAF’s first attack helicopter units.
