Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Tougher norms on VVIP chopper upkeep


Mumbai: Maintenance and upkeep of the state government's VIP chopper service must not be outsourced, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has told the state government.
The DGCA told the government on Tuesday that not only will the government pilots flying VVIPs have to receive regular training; no private agencies from now on will be allowed to look after government facilities keep in mind the need for greater security for the VVIPs.
The civil aviation regulator has been enforcing stricter guidelines for state governments after a chopper carrying the then Andhra Pradesh chief minister YSR Reddy crashed in September 2009.
Currently, the state has three choppers and engages four pilots and a meagre maintenance staff to look after the flying services. Its existing facilities however, the government officials said, may not be adequate, the state has told the DGCA, government officials said.
08/05/13 Sharad Vyas/Times of India
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