Maharashtra Govt to buy two new helicopters

Maharashtra Government today decided to buy two new helicopters, one to replace the chopper which was involved with an accident in May and another for anti-Naxal operations by police.
The new chopper will be used for anti-Naxal campaign in Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts and also as an air ambulance, an official from the Chief Minister's Office said.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
"Buying a chopper would be a cost-effective option to paying huge sums for renting out one as is being done presently," the official said.
The second new chopper would be brought from the insurance amount to be received for the Sikorsky S76 C++ VT-CMM chopper which crash landed in Nilanga on May 25 with Fadnavis on board, the official said.

The Sikorsky helicopter had taken off from Nilanga of Latur at 12 pm on May 25. After take-off, pilot found variable wind pattern and decided to land back. During landing, the helicopter got entangled in wires and sustained substantial damage, the official said.

The government has also decided to make available its old helicopter 'Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin N3 VT-MGK' to eligible educational institutes free of cost for benefit of students pursuing aeronautics, he said.
The helicopter was manufactured in 2000 and registered in 2001. It was last flown on February 28, 2011 and has since been grounded at Mumbai.
Its main rotors are 4 bladed composite and tail rotor is ten blade composite Fenestron anti-torque device with asymmetric blade distribution.

In March 2013, the state government had invited global bids for the sale of this helicopter.