Pune: High-tension cable wires, tall buildings, poor visibility due to garbage burning, adverse weather conditions, and bird hazard near garbage sites are among the major challenges aviation pilots have to deal with while flying over urban areas. At times, disregard to airworthiness checks and safety standards poses a risk in flying a helicopter. Some choppers do not have advanced operating systems.
These make a difference in critical times, pilots and aviation experts told TOI on Wednesday against the backdrop of the chopper crash at Bavdhan. "Clear sky and clean weather over the cities is a privilege nowadays. As such, a pilot is always required to be on his toes to deal with multiple challenges," a senior helicopter pilot, who did not wish to be named, said.
Group Captain Nitin Welde (retd), who is associated with a private helicopter service , said the golden rule in flying a helicopter is to remain in contact with the ground. "We fly at a low height compared to fixed-wing aircraft. For instance, over Juhu in Mumbai, we fly only at 500 feet to prevent crisscrossing with commercial airlines.
This low-level flying means there is little time available for pilots to make appropriate decisions. Likewise, each area has its dynamics that the pilot has to consider on a given day." "Weather within the city is different.
If you are flying in particular weather conditions in Pimpri Chinchwad, you may not get the same weather in Hadapsar," he pointed out. Maintenance is another aspec.
