Karnataka looks for CM's new chopper

Sky is not the limit, it seems, for busy chief ministers like B.S. Yeddyurappa whose chopper-hopping across the state has forced the state government to buy a new helicopter.
With the state government spending almost a lakh rupees a day to hire helicopters for the chief minister's travel across the state since he took over in May 2008, his aides have come around the view that it is better to buy a new helicopter instead of renting them out.
"A special committee has been formed to zero in on the right kind of helicopter," Department of Youth Services and Sports Secretary I.M. Vittala Murthy told India Today.
Murthy also oversees the government flying school at Jakkur airfield where the official helicopter will be parked. Even private players like Deccan Helicopters operate from the Jakkur airfield on the way to the new airport in Devanahalli.
Flying school chief instructor Capt Jaiprakash says that renting out choppers makes better economical sense if the air travels are limited but if a chief minister flies around a lot then it is better to buy a new helicopter exclusively for the government use. It costs roughly about a lakh an hour from the private players but there are no hassles of expenses like maintenance, pilot and maintenance crew salaries etc.
Karnataka had purchased a Rs 25 crore Eurocopter-made Dauphin N3 helicopter more than ten years ago but it was not optimally utilised, eventually sold to the Centre-owned Pawan Hans Helicopter Ltd about three years ago augmenting its offshore operations for Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) and inter-island transportation in Lakshwadeep islands.
02/02/09 Stephen David/India Today

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Feb 2009