Mayawati to get new aircraft soon

“The pilots, who have gone for training, will fly the aircraft back home at the end of this month and that will be a sort of practical test of their capabilities,” said an official of the Civil Aviation Department. However, the Government has to wait for the chopper, as its delivery is expected only next month.

A committee under the chairmanship of state chief secretary was constituted to finalise the deal with the Beechcraft Corporation for the purchase of the aircraft, and another company, Bell, for the purchase of the chopper. The committee, which included principal secretaries of Finance and Civil Aviation besides Indian Ambassador to US, went to the US in December last to finalise the deal.

So far, the UP Government had two choppers — Bell 230 and Chetak — which were as old as of 1989 and 1984 respectively. Besides, there were four propeller-based Beech aircraft, of which the latest one is 2002 made.

“The need for these fast aircraft was being felt for long. Since all the present aircraft are old, they require regular overhauling whereas the Government require at least two choppers and two aircraft ready to be used anytime, therefore this purchase,” said a senior officer of the department. What is pertinent here that a proposal for the purchase of these aircraft was put forth even in the previous Government, but no deal was made. The Mulayam Singh Yadav Government had constituted a committee of senior officials for the purchase of the aircraft which recommended the purchase through an agent.

But the Mayawati Government constituted a new committee which changed the recommendations and said that the purchase would be done through the Embassy. “This ensured transparency in the deal, besides fetching best prices for the aircraft,” the official said.