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Tag: Helicopter

  • Five U.S. troops killed in helicopter crash in Mediterranean Sea

    Five U.S. troops killed in helicopter crash in Mediterranean Sea

    Five United States troops are dead after an American military helicopter crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Friday evening, U.S. officials confirmed yesterday.

    The crew was conducting a “routine air refueling mission” during a training sortie when their aircraft suffered a mishap, U.S. European Command said in an emailed statement. All aboard were killed.

    The command first announced the accident on Saturday but declined to say what type of aircraft was involved.

    Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the downed asset was a helicopter in a statement yesterday. The Pentagon has not specified to which branch of the armed forces the aircraft belonged.

    “While we continue to gather more information about this deadly crash, it is another stark reminder that the brave men and women who defend our great nation put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our country safe,” Austin said. “They represent the best of America. We will remember their service and their sacrifice.”

    The mishap prompted an “immediate” rescue effort that included nearby U.S. military aircraft and ships, European Command said.

    The command did not provide further details about where in the region the plane went down.

    However, the U.S. issued a flight notice early Saturday noting a “search-and-rescue operation in progress” in the span of sea between Cyprus and Lebanon.

    Read Also: APC kicks as Diri coasts home to victory in Bayelsa

    Flight tracker @EISNspotter posted Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that air traffic control in Cyprus had called in military support around midnight Saturday for a helicopter that crash-landed about 30 nautical miles from the island’s southern coast.

    Planespotters on social media flagged multiple Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance planes patrolling the water south of Cyprus on Saturday, as well as an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III — often used for aeromedical evacuations — departing the area.

    It’s unclear whether the aircraft was training as part of routine operations in Europe, or if it was over the Mediterranean Sea as part of a deterrent force that has arrived in the region in recent weeks.

    The Pentagon has rushed thousands of American troops to the Middle East as war unfolds between U.S. ally Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the neighboring Gaza Strip.

    Among those forces are two Navy carrier strike groups stationed in the eastern Mediterranean, U.S. surveillance aircraft gathering intelligence off of the Israeli coast and others spread around the region.

    The military is investigating the cause of the mishap. It will not release the names of the deceased until 24 hours after their families have been notified, in accordance with Pentagon policy.

     “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen,” European Command said.

  • LASEMA gets helicopter for emergency response

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has given Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and related safety outfits an helicopter to boost their work in the hinterlands.

    LASEMA’s General Manager (GM) Adesina Tiamiyu made this known yesterday at the quarterly stakeholders meeting of emergency and safety agencies.

    The government had also acquired other multi-billion naira equipment for saving lives and properties during any emergency.

    According to him, the agency has taken delivery of the chopper; the other equipment would be delivered in batches.

    He said: “There are many rescue equipment acquired.  As we speak, we have taken delivery of the two new excavators which will help in demolishing shanties and clearing canals and drainages.

    “Also, there is a particular canal on Lagos Island that has been blocked. We are already clearing it with our equipment to ensure safety of the residents.

    “The chopper has been acquired but there are other things that have to be done such as branding, training of personnel, the route plan among others before we launch it. “These are already ongoing. I have seen the chopper myself; it was flown into Government House last week. By the time we begin to operate it, we would reach the innermost part of Lagos and bring people out to safety.”

    Tiamiyu said more LASEMA Response Units (LRUs) would be inaugurated in different parts of the state, adding that the agency would soon establish a communication network to improve its response time.

    He said: “We will be launching our telecommunication services hopefully by October.  At our centres today, we have already started hoisting mast and we will be able to communicate with the use of walkie-talkie while our vehicles anywhere in the state will be connected to enable them direct incident scene better.

    “Fire service will also get that benefit very soon. The ambulance service will also have the opportunity. When all of us can reach one another anytime, it means we all can communicate effectively and help Lagosians better.”

    He urged residents to be their neighbour’s keepers so as to stem the rising cases of suicide.

    Lagos State Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Hygeinus Omeje lamented the crowding of incident scenes by the public, citing the Otedola Bridge tanker fire.

    He noted that FRSC would not have done much but for the equipment deployed in the scene by the state.

    Omeje said: “LASEMA has been covering my nakedness. Imagine you are called to the scene of incident such as the Otedola fire and people are looking at you to move mountains but we do not have the kind of equipment LASEMA has. I must thank God for the LASEMA General Manager for having the right attitude. He is always ready to respond and rise to the occasion when called upon.

    “There is no need for unhealthy rivalry between responders. The public should be sensitised because the responders find it difficult to access the scenes because of onlookers.

    “Everybody wants to snap. You are wasting your data, nothing is coming in and you give incorrect figures.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Helicopter lands in Govt house

    A helicopter has just landed at the new Government House, Ayoba Villa, Ado-Ekiti.

    The chopper landed at the Government House helipad few minutes past noon.

    It has been alleged in some quarters the chopper brought cash from a Southsouth governor.

    People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members have been trooping to the Government House to collect money.

    They have been entering Government House through the small gate at the old Governor’s Office.

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    A female party member was seen complaining that he was not given his own share of the cash.

    She said: “They have not been given my own why some have been given twice.

    “Anyone that collects this money and vote against Eleka shall not live to spend this money.“

  • Senate summons Emefiele, Adeosun, Dan-Ali over $462m payment for helicopter

    •Reps refer matter to ethics committee

    THE Senate yesterday summoned Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali, Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.

    It followed alleged withdrawal of  $462 million for purchase of helicopters from an American firm.

    The House of Representatives also referred  the matter to its Ethics and Privileges and Finance committees to look into alleged  constitutional breach.

    The upper chamber said Dan-Ali, Adeosun and Emefiele should appear before its Appropriation Committee to explain the withdrawal and payment of the money to the American firm.

    The resolution followed a Point of Order by  Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East), who told the Senate the Federal Government withdrew the money in March, 2018.

    The Appropriation Committee was given one-week to report back to the Senate in plenary for consideration.

    Anyanwu, who came under Order 43 and Section 80 (20(3) of the Constitution, which prescribed the way and manner money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation can be withdrawn, prayed the Senate to look into the matter.

    He said the withdrawal and payment were done without National Assembly’s authorisation as required by the Constitution.

    Anyanwu said: “I have it on good authority that in March, 2018, from the Federation Account, a whooping sum of $462 million was withdrawn by the Federal Government. The money was paid to an American firm for the purchase of helicopters called Helicopters Techno Fight.

    “This was done without approval from this Senate and from the National Assembly. I know that there was no time any request was brought here for the approval of such an amount by the Federal Government from the Federation Account.

    “As a sitting senator of this country, I want to find out how this thing was done. I will request that we invite the CBN governor, the Ministers of Defence and Finance. They need to tell us how these monies were withdrawn and paid to this American firm without the approval of the Senate.”

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, agreed with Anyanwu that the allegation should be investigated to put the record straight.

    Ekweremadu said: “You have heard Senator Anyanwu. I think we should refer this matter to the Senate committee on Appropriation to find out the true position of things regarding that.

    “The Appropriation committee should invite the three people to throw more light on this and report within one week. ”

    The House said the Presidency has by that action rendered the National Assembly nonfunctional, which was a breach of the constitution and the privileges of the lawmakers.

    Tobi Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu), while raising a point of order on breach of members’ privileges, said the payment of $400 million to a United States (U.S.)company for the military equipment’s procurement was a breach of the constitution and an affront on the National Assembly.

    “This is a breach of privileges of members because the expenditure of $400 million made from the Federation Account was not ratified by the National Assembly.

    “As I learnt, the Federal Government breached our collective privileges by making the parliament completely nonfunctional.

    “There’s a mischief intended about this by not informing the parliament and this is exclusive of the $1 billion that was said to have been approved for the procurement of military equipment to tackle insurgency in the Northeast,” he said.

    In his ruling, Speaker Yakubu Dogara did not allow debate of the issue but referred it to Ethics and Privileges and Finance Committees to look into it.

    Saying that the referral was not a full blown investigation yet, the Speaker noted that removal of monies from the Federation Account without the explicit approval of the parliament amounted to stealing of public funds.

    He said the veracity of the allegation must be investigated whether the breaches occurred or not  and to what extent.

  • Four dead in U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crash

    All four crew members in a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter are presumed dead after it crashed during a training flight in southern California, an official said.

    The crash occurred on Tuesday afternoon at 2:35 pm (2135 GMT) near El Centro, according to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, a unit of the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Miramar north of San Diego.

    The cause of the crash is still being investigated and the identity of the crew members is being withheld for 24 hours until their family are notified.

    The helicopter involved was a Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion.

    The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing is the largest unit of the U.S. Marine Corps on the West Coast.

    The crash would be the deadliest for the Marines since a July crash in the Mississippi Delta, which killed all 16 aboard.

    Earlier Tuesday, a Marine Corps Harrier jet crashed in the East African nation of Djibouti. According to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command based in Bahrain, the pilot ejected shortly after takeoff and was in stable condition.

    dpa/NAN

  • Update: Police investigate report of aircraft loaded with firearms in Taraba

    Update: Police investigate report of aircraft loaded with firearms in Taraba

     
    The Taraba State Police Command on Sunday said it was gathering intelligence on reports that a helicopter suspected to be loaded with firearms and ammunition landed in Jubu village, Wukari local government area of the State on Saturday night.
              
    Jibu is located along River Benue, near Ibi.
              
    News of the aircraft carrying fire arms and landing in Jubu village  was widely circulated on social media onSaturday.
              
    The report, yet to be verified, scared residents in the State.
              
    Governor Darius Ishaku’s media and publicity aide, Bala Dan Abu, alleged that the arms and ammunition might be meant for a militia group that may be planning to carry out attacks on Taraba villages.
              
    “This system of arms delivery was said to have happened prior to the tragic attacks in Agatu in Benue State last year, which led to many killings.
              
    “Nothing was done to trace and arrest the owners of the helicopter.
    This may be another planned militia attacks in the offing,” Abu said.
             
     A member of the Taraba State House of Assembly representing Wukari II Constituency, Josiah Aji, told newsmen he was alerted of the development.
              
    Aji said he had also alerted security agencies and the chairman of Wukari local government council, Daniel Adi, to investigate the allegation.
              
    Police spokesman, David Misal, said a surveillance team was directed to the area to get to the roots of the matter, to verify whether is true or false alarm.
              
    Misal, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who spoke to our correspondent, said: “That issue remains a rumour for now; we are yet to confirm it. We cannot dismiss it too. We are gathering intelligence on it.
              
    “We shall make our findings known to the public at the appropriate time,” he said.  
              
    A resident of Jibu, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent on telephone, that even late last year, a helicopter landed in the same village in the night, but the mission of the helicopter was not established.
    “But now I am in Wukari town so I don’t whether an aircraft has landed there again.”
             
     The source said he was informed that fire arms were being ferried across River Benue in Jubu to Banteje, a town along Wukari-Jalingo Road.
             
     Another resident of Jibu said he was not aware of any helicopter landing in Jubu village.

  • NAF deploys helicopter in Taraba

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed one of its armed helicopters in  Takum, Taraba State, to support the ground forces in maintaining peace.

    The deployment is also to deter warring communities within the area from further engaging in violence.

    A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Abuja, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the helicopter already carries out armed reconnaissance missions within the Mambilla Plateau and environs.

    The statement reads: “It will be recalled that pockets of violence broke out recently around the Mambilla Plateau resulting in the loss of life and property.

    “The communal unrest between herdsmen and farmers subsequently led to the imposition of a curfew. It, therefore, became necessary to deploy NAF air assets towards maintaining peace and providing air cover for ground troops.

    “So far, residents have been observed to go about their business in peace.

    “Another NAF helicopter will soon be deployed in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, to support the ground forces there as well. The helicopter will operate from a new NAF Forward Operating Base being established in Kafanchan, as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure lasting peace in Southern Kaduna.”

  • Air Force records breakthrough in helicopter, spare-parts production

    Air Force records breakthrough in helicopter, spare-parts production

    •Millions saved from local partnership, says Abubakar

    NIGERIA is saving about N38 million it would have spent on importation on every six hydraulic accumulator diaphragms for MI-35 helicopter produced locally by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

    Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, who said this yesterday, explained that the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), also being manufactured locally, has capacity to be airborne for eight to 10 hours.

    He said the UAVs can fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet and cruise speed of 55 knots, equivalent to 102-kilometre per hour when operational.

    Sadiq spoke at the Ninth Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Colloquium at the Eko Hotel, on Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The Air chief, who was the keynote speaker at the event tagged: “Make it in Nigeria”, stated that the NAF has through its research and development efforts, as well as partnership with 22 tertiary institutions, has manufactured about six vital spare parts locally.

    Aside saving the nation millions through the initiatives, Air Marshal Abubakar said the service has been able to vigorously prosecute the war against insurgency and militancy, without nursing the fear of aircraft without spare parts.

    On research and development efforts of Nigerian Air Force towards self-reliance, Abubakar said the effectiveness of the NAF, on the long-term, depended on the extent of the growth of its home-based technology.

    He said: “The research and development efforts of the Nigerian Air Force, in partnership with various tertiary institutions and other local organisations, have resulted in notable breakthroughs.

    “First breakthrough has to do with the production of hydraulic accumulator diaphragms for MI-35 helicopters.”

    The Air Force boss said: “This is a very important component of the Mi-35 helicopter, which is one of the main platforms being employed in the Northeast. Aside from being very expensive, the diaphragm requires frequent replacements to assure safe conduct of flying operations. Often times, Mi-35 helicopters become grounded due to faulty hydraulic accumulator diaphragms.

    “Efforts made to procure the diaphragm from the manufacturers of the helicopter revealed that it was scarce to source and very expensive. The NAF eventually had to procure six diaphragms only at the cost of $106,000. That situation led to the commencement of in-house research on the production of the diaphragm.

    “In the course of the research, the NAF collaborated with some mechanical and rubber technologies outfits in the country, resulting in the production of the first prototype. Ever since, the production has undergone many modifications and I am glad to announce that we have now produced a better version of the one from the original equipment manufacturer at a cost of just N25,000.

    “Second breakthrough has to do with the challenge of incompatibility of camera and multi-function display on Agusta 109 helicopter. The Agusta 109 helicopter is frequently employed in the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance role in the Northeast and other theatres of operation. The helicopter’s camera and its Multi-Function Display, which displays various aircraft parameters, were integrated by the Original Equipment Manufacturer. However, with time, a conflict arose between these systems with attendant adverse effect on operations.

    “The foreign firm, which was contacted to rectify the snag, submitted a bill of N158 million, an amount that the NAF considered as being prohibitive. Consequently, the Nigerian Air Force, looking inwards, set up a Research and Development Committee led by Air Vice Marshal I Bukar, to try and rectify the snag. “The committee was able to successfully separate the camera from the Multi-Function Display while providing an additional monitor for the camera. Both of them now work independently without any operational hitches and N5 million only was spent to accomplish this feat as against the N158 million that was demanded by the foreign firm.

    “The F-7Ni aircraft is a fighter aircraft employed in deep interdiction role in the Northeast. Among the challenges faced in the operation of the aircraft was the maintenance of the Airborne Alkaline Batteries supplied by the Original Equipment Manufacturer. The battery had a service life of one year and shelf life of two years, making its durability very poor.

    “The battery also required regular charging and topping of its electrolyte, which had to be procured from overseas. The impression given by the manufacturers was that the electrolyte had special additives and could neither be tampered with nor sourced locally. Meanwhile, the corrosive nature of the electrolyte made it difficult to import, as shippers were always reluctant to ship it, thereby leading to increased aircraft downtimes.

    “To resolve the problem of electrolyte, which rendered most of the batteries un-useable, the NAF commissioned a Research and Development Team in collaboration with the Benue State University, Makurdi. The research team was able to successfully produce a replacement electrolyte for the F-7Ni aircraft batteries. It is gladdening to note that we do not import electrolyte for the F-7Ni aircraft batteries again.”

     

  • Facts about Bell helicopter

    Facts about Bell helicopter

    Bell helicopter is a fighter aircraft named after Bell, the American company that manufactures it. The company’s headquarters is located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America. Its range include Bell 412EP, Bell206L4, Bell407GXP and Bell505 Jet Ranger X.

    The Bell 412EP is designed to perform in some of the most extreme climates around the world. Its expansive cabin provides multi-mission flexibility while its wide opening easily accommodate forklift loadings into a spacious 220 ft3 /6.2 m3 cabin. Along with its spacious cabin, the aircraft can be configured in a variety of ways to accommodate up to 14 passengers.

    Whether for corporate transport, HEMS, support for energy or parapublic operators, the Bell 206L4 has what it takes to accomplish the mission. Featuring a high-inertia two-bladed rotor system, and patented suspension system that delivers a smooth ride, the Bell 206L4 can comfortably hold up to six passengers and one pilot.

    The Bell 407GXP is reputed for integrating reliability, speed and performance with a cabin configurable for an array of missions and payloads. It has the ability to cruise at 133 kts/246 km/h. Its spacious cabin has five club-passenger seats with an additional passenger seat in the cockpit in single pilot operations.

    The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is Bell Helicopter’s new five-seat aircraft designed for safety, efficiency and reliability through the use of advanced avionics technology. It incorporates proven dynamic components, advanced aerodynamic design, a dual channel FADEC Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine and best-in-class value.

  • Vietnam helicopter crashes with three on board

    A Vietnamese air force training helicopter crashed in southern Vietnam on Tuesday with three people on board.

    The deputy transport minister, Nguyen Nhat, said the Eurocopter, EC130, lost contact some 15 minutes after take-off at 8.30 a.m. (0130GMT), adding that the pilot and two students on board remained unaccounted for.

    Nguyen quoted an army official that rescued forces as having found the suspected crash site on Dinh Mountain in the province of Ba Ria Vung Tau.

    However, Rescue forces were trying to approach the site, where smoke was observed rising into the air.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered the Army to review its planes to avoid any further accidents.