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No. 126 Helicopter Flight, IAF

Summary

No. 126 Helicopter Flight (Featherweights) is a helicopter squadron and is equipped with Mil Mi-26 and based at Chandigarh Air Force Station.[1] It received the first four Boeing CH-47 Chinook in service on 25 March 2019.[2]

No. 126 Helicopter Flight
Active15 May 1986- Present
CountryIndia Republic of India
Branch Indian Air Force
Garrison/HQChandigarh AFS
Nickname(s)"Featherweights"
Aircraft flown
TransportMil Mi-26, CH-47

History edit

Only four Mi-26s served with this Helicopter Flight: serial numbers Z2896, Z2897, Z3075 and Z3076. Only three aircraft are presently in the inventory. On 14 December 2010, an Indian Air Force Mi-26 (serial number Z3076) crashed seconds after taking off from Jammu Airport, injuring all nine passengers. The aircraft fell from an altitude of about 15 metres (50 ft).[3] The Indian Institute of Flight Safety released an investigation report that stated improper fastening of the truck inside caused an imbalance of the helicopter and led to the crash. The Mi-26 had been carrying machines from Konkan Railway to Jammu–Baramulla line project.[4][5]

Two of the remaining three Mi-26s were grounded on completion of their total technical life in September 2013 and August 2014, respectively; a proposal of having the helicopters shipped to the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant for refurbishment has not been approved by the Ministry of Defence for over three years.[6] On 25 March 2019, the first four CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters (of a total of 15 ordered) were added to the flight.

Assignments edit

This helicopter Flight has carried out extensive flood relief operations Ex-Tezpur in Jan 1989. It also did a commendable job by laying out the roads in Anini sector in the east. Anini sector was earlier totally air maintained. Being a helicopter flight, it can be called upon to carry out casualty evacuation etc.

The flight airlifted Diesel Generators, to ensure continued cooling of the Ammonia Storage tanks at the Paradeep Phosphates Limited plant in Paradip, Odisha, thus preventing another Bhopal Disaster-like situation. The flight was also actively involved in the Kargil war wherein it performed missions by day and night.[7]

Aircraft edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Squadrons and Helicopter Units". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  2. ^ Huma Siddiqui (22 March 2019). "Indian Air Force gets more wings: Lethal Chinook copters to be formally inducted in IAF on Monday". Financial EXpress. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  3. ^ "IAF chopper crashes in Jammu, 9 injured". The Times of India. 15 December 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012.
  4. ^ "IAF helicopter crashes in Jammu, all safe". NDTV, 14 December 2010. Retrieved: 23 July 2012.
  5. ^ "IAF Chopper Crashes, Leaves 9 Injured". Outlook India, 14 December 2010. Retrieved: 23 July 2012.
  6. ^ Rahul Bedi (13 March 2019). "Refurbishment of IAF's Mi-26 helicopters faces delay". Jane's. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  7. ^ "English Releases". Archived from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.