[finneyp]

Though it is too early to determine the cause of the crash, I don't understand why the pilots take a big risk of flying in bad weather?

Diabloo, not really, I guess only Govt offices will be closed tomorrow!

[Thad E Ginathom]

I think the title of the thread is not appropriate to this event. The wreckage and bodies were probably found as quickly as any other country would have achieved in similar circumstances.

As to how and why it happened, those are now the big questions.

[appuchan]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Though it is too early to determine the cause of the crash, I don't understand why the pilots take a big risk of flying in bad weather?...

No pilot will ever fly into bad weather, that too with a chopper. This is mostly a case of sudden weather change which was not anticipated and he was too much into the hilly and forest region to avert it by landing safe. Apparently the chopper was found some 15 kms away from its normal route. So he did try to avert the bad weather and was probably flying low to avoid thunder clouds but could not have noticed the cliff due to poor visibility.

[sajands]

DGCA flipflops on YSR chopper's airworthiness

DGCA flipflops on YSR chopper's airworthiness

India's civil aviation regulator seems to be speaking in twin voices on the airworthiness of the helicopter that crashed, killing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. A posting on its website says its certification had lapsed two years ago but a statement issued by it asserts just the opposite.

The twin-engine Bell 430 helicopter, call sign VT-APG, bore certificate of airworthiness number 2390 issued on July 6, 2006 and was valid till July 4, 2007, says the website of the Directorate General of Civilian Aviation (DGCA).

However, a DGCA statement late on Wednesday said, "The helicopter was in possession with a valid Certificate of Airworthiness No. 2390 with its validity up to 05.12.2010. It had flown for 2,812.20 Hrs since new and 325.10 Hrs from last C of A."

On Thursday, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel asserted on Thursday that despite what was posted on the DGCA website, the helicopter was airworthy.

The helicopter was registered on Jan 1, 1999 under file number 4-2/99-AI(I) and certificate number 2981 in the name of the general administration department of the Andhra Pradesh government, the DGCA website said.

Powered by two Allison 250B 40C turboprop engines, the helicopter had a seating capacity of nine, including the crew

The helicopter carrying YSR, as he was popularly called, went missing at 9:35 am on Wednesday, an hour after it had taken off from Hyderabad on a flight to Chittoor, 588 km away.

Its mangled remains were found at around 8:30 am on Thursday morning on a hillock 40 nautical miles east of Kurnool, 200 km from Hyderabad. Four others were also killed in the crash.

Civil aviation sources here had told IANS on Wednesday that the helicopter was not airworthy and was pulled out of the chief minister's use last year after the state purchased a new Italian chopper.

On Thursday, another civil aviation official said the helicopter was not only airworthy but also had a good flying record.

"It has been used by the Andhra Pradesh government and for commuting chief ministers for the last 10 years. It had a good track record and was well maintained," the official told IANS.

The state government, according to the official, used the Bell 430 chopper even as it purchased a new Italian chopper Agusta AW 139 for the chief minister. "This was done because the Bell 430 was airworthy," he added.

Reacting to the crash, a senior pilot who served state-owned Pawan Hans for over 20 years, said the Bell 430 is "an excellent flying machine" but at the same time, had limitations.

"It lacks night-landing capability," he pointed out.

The Agusta AW 139 was put into service in November last year, the sources said.

Soon afterward, the Bell 430 was handed over to the Andhra Pradesh Aviation Corp for commercial operations. According to one official, the police in Andhra Pradesh were now using the chopper.



My question is, where is that new Italian chopper Agusta AW 139 ment for the chief minister???????

[diabloo]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The wreckage and bodies were probably found as quickly as any other country would have achieved in similar circumstances.

I think people are spoilt by hollywood, when the rescue gets over before the movie ends.

As I understand its was deep inside the forest, with no roads and only means of transport is walking.

Wreckage was spotted by Indian Air Force's Advance Light Helicopter, Dhruv, which was sent out today morning, after bad weather conditions prevented yesterday. Rescue commandoes were air dropped onto the site.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by sajands

My question is, where is that new Italian chopper Agusta AW 139 ment for the chief minister???????

It was @ routine service is what i heard/read somewhere. May their soul R.I.P.

[Digital Vampire]

The discovery of the crash site was narrowed down to a 4 sq km area from over 200 sq km by triangulating the position of a cell phone of one of the ill-fated passengers in the crashed helicopter. The cellphone somehow survived the crash and supposedly received an SMS 2 hours after the crash which helped trace the location


I wonder why it took so long though. Possibly the cell number was not known or this angle was never explored.

Triangulating the position using cellphone/towers is a well established practice. In phones without GPS, Google Latitude uses this technique to locate the position with fairly good accuracy; sometimes within 300 meters.

[diabloo]

Originally Posted by Digital Vampire

I wonder why it took so long though. Possibly the cell number was not known or this angle was never explored

I think (guess), when a VIP travels everyone on board keeps their mobiles off for security reasons. But they should had had a alternate mode of communication.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

We are definitely not. After all we beleive in out fate and Karma. Also we are convinced that God is an Indian and that calamity strikes someone else.

Brilliantly put Sir!!!

[pranavt]

Originally Posted by diabloo

Karnataka government announces two days mourning

Holiday

So these babus don't do anything useful when alive. Atleast they give us holidays when their rotten souls pass away. I think the rest of the politicians should be sent on such trips with similar helicopters regularly.

[aaggoswami]

The terrorists attack in Mumbai and series of blasts prove how much capable we are.
I have no respect left for any minister, be it CM of any state or president or PM. No one.
When I heard about the news of a politician ( they all are politicians for me, irrespective of their status ) had died, I did not feel anything. When I had heard of a politician missing, I had no feelings.
But if a VIP ends up in trouble, many people are moved, why not this for the tax payer. Do they really deserve to fly in choppers costing in Rs. XX cr. ?

One line to sum up if we are really prepared or not :
" Roads indicate culture of the nation ".

[splitsecond]

Originally Posted by neel385

Baba, a GPS device lets the user know his own location. It does not let the world know the user's location. So, what difference would it have made if the chopper was carrying a GPS if its own location was not being transmitted. What would have really helped would have been the ELT. The fact that the ELT did not go off is a serous lapse which will need close scrutiny.

No,with gps device installed in a vehicle it allows other people to track exact location of that particular vehicle. Many private hospitals here in kerala uses gps tracking device in their Ambulance. For example you can install this tracking device in your car and if someone steels it you can still find the car in real time in a map.Its not that costly, mapmyindia sells this in india
Store Locator, Track Online, Map Store, Mobile Services, Vehicle Tracking, GPS Vehicle Tracking

Gps tracking
GPS tracking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[KITE RUNNER]

Originally Posted by pranavt

So these babus don't do anything useful when alive. Atleast they give us holidays when their rotten souls pass away. I think the rest of the politicians should be sent on such trips with similar helicopters regularly.

Kindly show little more dignity while making comments.

If our rulers/leaders are bad, each one of us is responsible. We all want to enjoy unlimited freedom - freedom without responsibility.

How many of us make it a point to cast our vote during elections?

All these politicians and other officials are nothing but a cross section of our society.

[pranava999]

The gearing up depends on the type of disaster it is and from whose perspective is it a disaster (read political/politician)

If it's a helicopter gone missing we get geared up in a few hours, right from ........... tribal tech to space tech, but if it's a threat to national/citizen security (read floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, epidemis outbreaks) it JUST takes a wee BIT longer!!!!

[carboy]

Originally Posted by KITE RUNNER

Our disaster preparedness is not upto US standards.

Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia