Technical checks on Su-30s no reason for concern – S.P. Tyagi

[TimeTraveller]

Grounding the Indian Air Force’s fleet of Sukhoi-30 aircraft for
technical checks will not affect further contracts for the deliveries of
these Russia-developed planes to India, former Indian Air Chief Marshal
Shashindra Pal Tyagi said in an interview with RIA Novosti Wednesday.

“There is no reason of concern. There is no doubt about its safety and
reliability. Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft are the pride of the Indian Air
Force,” Tyagi said, adding that the technical checks will not have any
impact on further Su-30 aircraft deals.

“This method has been adopted around the world and there is nothing new
in it. The main objective of the technical checks is to ensure that
there will not be further damage to the fleet of aircraft and also to
save the loss of life,” the former air chief noted.

Yesterday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) announced that it grounded its
entire fleet of Sukhoi-30 fighter jets to undergo safety checks. The
fleet of about 200 Su-30 jets currently grounded represents almost a
third of the country’s fighter fleet. The IAF is due to purchase another
72 Su-30 jets from Russia.

The announcement follows a last week accident when an IAF Sukhoi-30 MKI
crashed into a field in the Pune district in the western Indian state of
Maharashtra on October 14. There were no casualties as both the pilot
and the co-pilot had ejected to safety.

“The fleet has been grounded and is undergoing technical checks
following the latest accident in Pune,” the news agency cited IAF
spokesperson Wing Commander Simranpal Singh Birdi as saying. “It would
be back in air only after a thorough check.” Birdi did not specify what
the specific technical aspects were.

Sources close to the situation told RIR the public announcement close to
the Indian festival of Diwali may have been a scare tactic employed by
those with vested interests in the Rafale deal. “Create a scare and then
generate media pressure so that the government will buy the Rafales for
terms that are more suitable for the French than they are for India…
these are old tricks,” a retired IAF officer who worked closely with the
Su-30MKI programme told RIR.

The Su-30 MKI, NATO reporting name Flanker-H, is the IAF’s elite
fighter-bomber. It was developed by Russia’s Sukhoi Aviation Corporation
and built under license by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics.

Source : Technical checks on Su-30s no reason for concern – S.P. Tyagi | idrw.org

 

[SQ8]

Its the K-36D seat apparently. Which is odd considering the seat is considered the next best thing after Martin Baker.
Must be something to do with faulty wiring done during construction/assembly.

 

[sancho]

Its the K-36D seat apparently. Which is odd considering the seat is considered the next best thing after Martin Baker.
Must be something to do with faulty wiring done during construction/assembly.

And it's definitely a big improvement considering the huge ammount of deaths we had in the Mig crashes. The Su 30 is not only more reliable than the Migs, but even in a crash the chances to stay alive for the pilots are much higher!