On Thursday, May 4, 2023, Indian Army forces commence a rescue mission after a DHRUV crashed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. According to officials, at least three persons were hurt in the incident, including the plane’s pilot and co-pilot.
Key Components to be Replaced
Following three separate accidents, Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has decided to replace a key component of the DHRUV Advanced Lightweight Helicopter in order to improve the fatigue tolerance of the made-in-India chopper, which serves as the rotary-wing mainstay for the Indian armed forces. According to insiders, the state-owned aviation company will replace an aluminum-made control rod in the gearbox with a steel-made one. This will improve the copter’s fatigue tolerance and the pilots’ control of the aircraft.
A regulatory panel recommended the move, which comes on the heels of three DHRUV crashes on March 8 (Navy), March 26 (Coast Guard), and May 4 (Army). So far, more than 335 DHRUVs have been manufactured, with approximately 300 in service with the three armed forces. The most recent mishap involving an Army Aviation chopper resulted in the death of one soldier and the wounding of two more. Following two similar occurrences involving the platform, the Navy and Coast Guard halted their respective DHRUV fleets in March.
The Indian Air Force, which employs roughly 70 DHRUVs, is preparing them for flight in phases. The helicopters that have passed the tests are still in service. HAL officials said that the DHRUV had an excellent safety record, having flown more than 3,75,000 hours in the last two decades and that metallurgical improvements in the gearbox’s control rod were being carried out to improve the aircraft’s performance. The multi-mission, multi-role 5.5-tonne helicopter has proven its worth in a variety of utility jobs, including life-saving flights during natural disasters in India and around the world. It is pitched in New Delhi.
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Also read:
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