Post-crash IAF grounds 40 Dhruv choppers

[Daedalus]

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has grounded its fleet of around 40 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv helicopters in view of the recent crash, in which seven of its personnel were killed.

The ALH Dhruv choppers in IAF fleet will not fly till thorough checks are carried out on them, IAF sources said.

The Army, which uses the ALH for its high altitude operations is also learnt to have taken similar precautions before allowing its pilots to fly them.

Meanwhile, the black box of the chopper, which had taken off from Bareilly and crashed after losing radio and radar contact with ground stations while it was on its way to Allahabad, has been sent to Bangalore for detailed examination.

Post-crash IAF grounds 40 Dhruv choppers - The Hindu

 

[Pakistanisage]

It appears that DHRUV Helicopter caught FIRE.

In the past Dhruv has suffered tail Rotor problems.

It is important to figure out if these Crashes are a result of Pilot Error or are there serious technical problems causing these crashes.


Indian Air Force Dhruv helicopter destroyed in crash - IHS Jane's 360




An Indian Air Force (IAF) Dhruv utility-light attack helicopter crashed in the northern region of Uttar Pradesh on 25 July, killing all seven onboard, national media reported.

Video footage of the immediate aftermath of the crash taken by Zee News showed that the helicopter had come down in a village. Although no buildings appear to have been hit, the main body of the helicopter had been completely consumed by fire.

The cause of the accident is now being investigated by the IAF.

Developed and built indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the twin-engined Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) first entered service in the early 2000s, and is operated by all three branches of the Indian military. Although HAL is the prime contractor, some major components such as the engines and avionics have been sourced from foreign partners. Approximately half of the IAF's planned 82 helicopters have been delivered to date.

The IAF has a poor safety record, and the Dhruv has not been immune to this. In 2006 the entire Dhruv fleet was grounded following tail rotor problems that caused a civilian version to crash in southern India the year prior. Since then, delays in the air force's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) programme have forced the service to use in the Dhruv in unsuitable environments and missions, leading to the loss of at least two helicopters in the border regions of Pakistan and China over recent years.

Since entering service in 2002, the Dhruv has been involved in at least nine serious incidents and accidents (while technical problems have been blamed for a number of these, it should be noted that others were found to be the result of pilot error and some are still under investigation). This number includes two crashes involving Dhruvs flown by the Ecuadorian Air Force.

 

[Abingdonboy]

It appears that DHRUV Helicopter caught FIRE.

In the past Dhruv has suffered tail Rotor problems.

It is important to figure out if these Crashes are a result of Pilot Error or are there serious technical problems causing these crashes.


Indian Air Force Dhruv helicopter destroyed in crash - IHS Jane's 360




An Indian Air Force (IAF) Dhruv utility-light attack helicopter crashed in the northern region of Uttar Pradesh on 25 July, killing all seven onboard, national media reported.

Video footage of the immediate aftermath of the crash taken by Zee News showed that the helicopter had come down in a village. Although no buildings appear to have been hit, the main body of the helicopter had been completely consumed by fire.

The cause of the accident is now being investigated by the IAF.

Developed and built indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the twin-engined Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) first entered service in the early 2000s, and is operated by all three branches of the Indian military. Although HAL is the prime contractor, some major components such as the engines and avionics have been sourced from foreign partners. Approximately half of the IAF's planned 82 helicopters have been delivered to date.

The IAF has a poor safety record, and the Dhruv has not been immune to this. In 2006 the entire Dhruv fleet was grounded following tail rotor problems that caused a civilian version to crash in southern India the year prior. Since then, delays in the air force's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) programme have forced the service to use in the Dhruv in unsuitable environments and missions, leading to the loss of at least two helicopters in the border regions of Pakistan and China over recent years.

Since entering service in 2002, the Dhruv has been involved in at least nine serious incidents and accidents (while technical problems have been blamed for a number of these, it should be noted that others were found to be the result of pilot error and some are still under investigation). This number includes two crashes involving Dhruvs flown by the Ecuadorian Air Force.

What kind of BS article is this? The IAF has a poor safety record? If you are an ignorant journo then yes, to the experts this is far from true. The IAF's safety record is comparable to any modern AF.


The ALHs are troubled in terms of safety? My backside- of the nine that have gone down a few have been pilot error- 2 having been part of the Sarang aerobatics team which is inherently risky business and the 1st Ecuadorian crash was undeniably pilot error. And then a further 2 of these crashes were because the IAF's and IA's Cheetah fleets are shrinking meaning the ALHs are having to land at tiny high-altidude HLZ that were never created to cater for 5.5+ ton medium weight helicopters but the much lighter and smaller Cheetahs, this is hardly a fault of the pilots or the ALH just an inherently unsafe situation but one that is necessitated by the stalling of the RSH procurement (thanks "Saint" Antony).

So of 9 crashes 3-4 are due to pilot error (that we know of), 2 are due to the operating environment's limitations and 3-4 are as of yet unexplained.

Even still this is a VERY respectable safety record (if you assume the remaining 3-4 were down to technical faults which we still can't be sure of), the ALH is for sure one of the safest helos in service to day. Look at that Ecuadorian crash (there is video footage of it on YT), all crew members walked away from such a horrific crash pretty much unscathed! Has been in service for over a decade with some 180+ in service and on a daily basis does things no other comparable helo in the world could do (high-altidue flying).

What an article.....