No interception, No MiG-21s .. Read on

Plane forced to land in Mumbai
Express News Service

Mumbai, July 31: An Atlas Air Boeing-747 was forced to land at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Monday morning at 3.03 am, due to ‘‘suspicious change in aircraft particulars’’.

The aircraft, registered in the US, was operating as a ferry flight—that is, without any passengers on board—between Nairobi and Hong Kong, and was to overfly Indian airspace.

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However, it ‘‘transmitted a wrong permit number, and there was a mix-up wherein clearance was requested for a military plane’’, said sources.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence confirms that at 10.05 pm, the Mumbai Movement Liaison Unit (MLU) called the Indian Air Force (IAF) to ‘‘confirm clearance for a United States Air Force Boeing-747 entering Indian airspace at ORLID (reporting point) at 12.47 am’’.

However, since there was no Air Operations Routine available for any military aircraft flying this particular route between July 27 and August 1, the MLU was advised to inform the aircraft—through Mumbai Flight Information Centre—that it was not permitted to enter Indian airspace.

However, at 11 pm, the MLU again called the IAF, saying that there was a change in particulars, and the aircraft was now coming in as a civil registered aircraft operated by Atlas Air. And that it had obtained the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) clearance and had asked for Operations Room advice.

While the Operations Room advised that Standard Operating Procedure be followed, at 12.55 am, the Duty Officer of South Western Air Command called to say he was refusing clearance to this aircraft due to the ‘‘suspicious change in aircraft particulars from military to civil’’, and the aircraft was being asked to land at Mumbai to ‘‘verify its antecedents’’.

On landing in Mumbai, the aircraft was checked by Duty Officer Mumbai MLU, who confirmed that it was a civil registered aircraft and the pilot had stated that ‘‘there was a mix-up by Nairobi Air Traffic Control in forwarding the aircraft particulars’’.

After several hours of questioning by the IAF, the pilot retired to a hotel, as he couldn’t fly back immediately because of Flight Duty Time Limitations, which restricts the flight time and flight duty periods of crew members.

Atlas Air—a cargo airline based in Purchase, New York—operates scheduled freight flights for some of the world’s leading airlines, and flies to 101 cities in 46 countries. At the time of going to press, the aircraft was still at Mumbai.

Indian Air Force MiG-25 Walkaround Photos

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/main.php?g2_itemId=7340
Indian Air Force MiG-25 Walkaround Photos

and our Lebanese friends as well 😉

Recently read a report that this foxbat arrived at a Museum in the west for display.

Isn’t it Iraqi property? What are the rules governing war booty in the current context?

I am surprised no one mentioned the Westland Wapiti. Doesn’t it occupy an important place in the 1930s?

Reg the NZ supplied Canberras to the IAF – I am afraid none are flying today. One is in existence as a static in a school in Pune, and a few more might have survived. but no airworthy ones.

Willi Messerschmitt designed the Helwan HA300 jet fighter for Egypt. There is an indian connection in that the test pilot was Gp Capt Kapil Bhargava of the Indian Air Force on loan to Egypt and he carried out the first flight. Parallely a HF-24 Marut was loaned to Egypt to be a test bed for the engine developed for Egypt.

Gp Capt Bhargava had written about the Willi Messerschmitt connection in an article for Air enthusiast a long time ago. I wonder if anyone remembers it?

Some posts I made on BR (which supports Harry’s viewpoint)

I believe they are refering to the pilots on Administrative Duties. Infact they are lucky if they get five to six hours of flying in such role.

We have to understand that a pilot does not fly the whole of his career. It is interspersed with Training stints (2-3 years), Staff Courses (1 year per stint) and ofcourse Administrative duties (can be 2-3 years) as well. One of the current test pilots spent a couple of years at Air HQ pushing paper before he went to fly the LCA. This is normal.

this is making a mountain out of nothing.

Just 340 fighter planes? Out of which only half are available?

They think each squadron has only ten aircraft including the type trainers? The SUkhoi units themselves have 50+ aircraft between three of them. The MiG29s have 60 between three of em. what do they mean lack of aircraft?

Serviceabilty is a factor, that will mean there will be more pilots per aircraft. I would believe it if BBC Said the number of serviceable combat ac is 340 but they are saying thats the total no of ac and half of em are serviceable. rather shady.

pilots who reach a certain rank and have finished about 14 years of flying will find themselves with less flying to do unless they get a Command posting. If you are a Wing Commander and on flghters and you are not given a Command there is not much flying that one can do. This is something the BBC write up does not make it clear. It is trying to project that all pilots – even those in thier prime (Flt Lt / Sqn Ldr) etc are being underutilised.

You guys had it all wrong … The lady is Mark12 🙂