The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavy-lift helicopter operated by the United States military. As the Sikorsky S-80, it was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, adding a seventh blade to the main rotor, and canting the tail rotor 20°. It was built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the United States Marine Corps. The less common MH-53E Sea Dragon fills the United States Navy's need for long-range minesweeping or airborne mine countermeasures missions, and performs heavy-lift duties for the Navy. The Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion, which has new engines, new composite rotor blades, and a wider aircraft cabin, is set to replace the CH-53E and is beginning to enter service in the 2020s, but most of the Super Stallions are still in service as are the MH-53E Sea Dragons.
The HAL Dhruv is a utility helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in November 1984. The helicopter first flew in 1992; its development was prolonged due to multiple factors including the Indian Army's requirement for design changes, budget restrictions, and sanctions placed on India following the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests. The name comes from a Sanskrit origin word dhruv which means unshakeable or firm.
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968. It is now produced by Russia. In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform.
The Mil Mi-17 is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family introduced in 1975 (Mi-8M), continuing in production as of 2021 at two factories, in Kazan and Ulan-Ude. It is known as the Mi-8M series in Russian service. The helicopter is mostly used as a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter, as well as an armed gunship version.
The Airbus Helicopters H135, is a twin-engine civil light utility helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters, formerly known as Eurocopter. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) and is outfitted with a digital automatic flight control system (AFCS). First flying in February 1994, it entered service in 1996. 1,400 have been delivered up to September 2020, to 300 operators in 60 countries, accumulating over 5 million flight hours. It is mainly used for air medical transport (medevac), corporate transport, law enforcement, offshore wind support, and military flight training. Half of them are in Europe and a quarter in North America. The H135M, certified under the name Eurocopter EC635, is a military variant, so the overall design is known as the Airbus Helicopters H135 and the military version, as the Airbus Helicopters H135M. The EC135/H135 is a development of the older Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) Bo 105.
The Mil Mi-26 is a Soviet/Russian heavy transport helicopter. Its product code is Izdeliye 90. Operated by both military and civilian operators, it is the largest helicopter to have gone into serial production.
The Nepalese Army Air Service is the army aviation branch of the Nepali Army, also known as the Nepal Army Air Wing. Nepal has no separate Air Force but the Nepali Army operates several aircraft within the army aviation branch.
Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) is a transport service operated as a central public sector undertaking based at Noida in Delhi NCR, India. It is a Mini Ratna-I category PSU under the ownership of Ministry of Civil Aviation of the Government of India. It has cumulatively flown more than 1 million hours and has had 2.5 million landings on its fleet since its formation. The registered office is located in New Delhi. The corporate headquarter is located at Sector-1 in Noida with regional office at New Delhi, Mumbai and Guwahati. The operations are based at the Juhu Aerodrome in Vile Parle (West), Mumbai.
The EurocopterAS355 Écureuil 2 is a twin-engine light utility helicopter developed and originally manufactured by Aérospatiale in France.
Lengpui Airport is a domestic airport serving Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, India. It is located at Lengpui in the Mamit district of the state. The airport is connected by flights to Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Imphal and Silchar and is located at a distance of 32 km from Aizawl. Lengpui Airport is the first airport in the country to be built by the State Government.
Dorjee Khandu was an Indian politician who served as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh from 2007 until his death in a Helicopter crash in April 2011.
The 2009 Andhra Pradesh helicopter crash occurred on 2 September 2009 near Rudrakonda Hill, 40 nautical miles (74 km) from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India. The helicopter was a Bell 430 helicopter owned by the Andhra Pradesh Government, and registered VT-APG. Fatalities included Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
On 10 June 2012, an aviation accident occurred involving a Kenya Police helicopter. The Eurocopter AS350 crashed on a hill, killing all six people on board. Among the fatalities were Kenya's Interior Security Minister George Saitoti and his Assistant Minister Joshua Orwa Ojode.
Manang Air Pvt. Ltd. is a helicopter airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal and was founded in 1997 and has been operating helicopters in commercial air transportation within the Nepalese territory under the Regulation of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The company provides chartered services and is focused on personalized services such as adventure flights helicopter excursions or expedition work. It is the only Approved Training Organization in Nepal.
On 8 May, a Mil MI-17 transport helicopter of the Pakistan Army Aviation Corps crashed in Naltar, in the Gilgit District of the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan, killing eight people. Among the victims were the ambassadors of Norway and the Philippines to Pakistan, as well as the spouses of the Indonesian and Malaysian ambassadors to Pakistan, and three crew.
Simrik Air Pvt. Ltd. is a helicopter airline based at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. It operates chartered helicopter services. The company was established in 2001. It was a partner of Simrik Airlines, which operates scheduled fixed-wing services, until latter airline was rebranded as Guna Airlines in 2021. Simrik Air also partners with Swiss helicopter operator Air Zermatt, which helps with pilot training.
On 8 December 2021, a Mil Mi-17V-5 transport helicopter operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed between Coimbatore and Wellington in the state of Tamil Nadu, after departing from Sulur Air Force Station. The helicopter was carrying Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 13 others, including his wife and staff. Everyone on board was killed in the immediate aftermath, except Group Captain Varun Singh, who died from his injuries at a hospital a week later.
Dera Natung was an Indian politician who served as the Education Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He was elected as MLA for three consecutive terms since 1989 from the Pakke-Kessang Assembly constituency of Arunachal Pradesh. He served as the Cabinet minister in the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, holding the portfolios of Sports & Youth Affairs, Information, Public Relations & Printing, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Social Welfare, Fisheries and Education. He died in a helicopter crash in 2001.
