Chopper crash victim's father wants pilots' training upgraded

PTI

New Delhi, January 16

The father of an Army Aviation Corps pilot, who died in a crash in J&K last year, has written to President Ram Nath Kovind, requesting him to make it mandatory for all Army pilots to undergo underwater survival training and to equip them with essential life-saving gears.

His Jet crashed into Ranjit Sagar Dam

• Capt Jayant Joshi’s helicopter crashed into the Ranjit Sagar Dam on August 3, 2021
• Was practising target acquisition and deployment of integrated weapons
• The President’s Secretariat has forwarded his father’s complaint to Defence Secy

Glaring gaps, attitude of apathy, disregard

Crash has exposed glaring gaps in the safety process... revealed an attitude of apathy and disregard in the matter of pilot safety and training. Harish Chander Joshi (Jayant’s father)

Harish Chander Joshi’s son Capt Jayant Joshi of 254 Squadron of Army Aviation had died in a fatal crash of his helicopter over Ranjit Sagar Dam on August 3, 2021, while on a mission sortie. A pilot of Rudra Weapon System Integrated (WSI) attack helicopter, Jayant Joshi, along with Lt Col AS Batth, a test pilot and an aviation instructor, were practising target acquisition and deployment of integrated weapons on the 200-square km dam when the crash took place.

“The crash has apparently revealed an attitude of apathy and disregard in the matter of pilot safety and training needs among those responsible for the affairs of Army Aviation,” Jayant Joshi’s father Harish Chander Joshi wrote in his letter to the President.

The President’s Secretariat has forwarded the complaint to the Defence Secretary, according to a communication received by Joshi. He questioned, “My question is that if the Rudra was not meant to be flown over water, then why were the helicopters of the squadron being routinely sent to fly over a vast expanse of water that was 25 km long and 8 km wide? This information on the expanse of water was often put out in the public domain by the Army’s own publicity wing,” he said. Joshi said he was told that it was the only area available for low flying as it was free from obstacles. “If that be the case, did anyone responsible for running the affairs of Army Aviation realise the basic survival training needs of the men and provide them with the necessary safety gears before sending them for flying over water?” he asked. —

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