Hyderabad: Though the state government had purchased VIP chopper AgustaWestland-139 (Aw-139), which was gutted in the Monday midnight fire accident at the Begumpet airport hangar-3, in 2008, it has logged just 970 flying hours in four years.
"In a span of four years, the VIP chopper logged just 970 hours (approximately). After former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy's death in a chopper crash, his successor K Rosaiah used the helicopter for a few times for his visits in the state. However, he often travelled by train. After Kiran Kumar Reddy took charge, he initially used to fly in private airlines and, of late, had started using the Agust AW-139 for tours in the state," sources in the general administration department (GAD) told TOI.
The late YS Rajasekhara Reddy had logged less than 100 flying hours as the government had purchased the chopper in 2008 and he died in 2009.
20/12/12 Times of India
