CHOPPER-PATEL 2

To questions relating to safety of helicopter operations
in the wake of several incidents and accidents (which result
in deaths) in the recent past, Patel said "irrespective of the
outcome and keeping in mind the past cases, we need to see how
helicopter flying can be made more safer in the country."

There are stringent guidelines for helicopter operations
in the country, put in by the DGCA. The regulatory body has
also been coming out with instructions on a regular basis for
heli-operators to follow the laid down rules, procedures and
guidelines.

The instructions have been mostly based on analysis of
accidents involving general aviation helicopters and planes.

Aviation sources said most of the helicopter accidents
have occurred when the aircraft was being flown under Visual
Flight Rules (VFR) instead of being guided by Instrument
Flight Rules (IFR).

Besides the numerous accidents involving casualties in
the recent past, the IAF helicopters carrying Indian President
Pratibha Patil and her entourage at Mumbai airport, which
experienced a near-miss incident this February, were also
being flown under VFR.

These visual flying rules are generally not used at busy
airports which have a controlled airspace and the air traffic
being generally guided by IFR. (More) PTI