The Indian Air Force’s heavy lift transport aircraft IL-76 was used for the first time to paradrop in the high altitude Nyoma area near Leh creating a new record in military aviation.
The drop zone at Nyoma was located at 13,700 feet above sea level and paradrop at such an elevation is risky for both the troops and the flight crew.
It was the first ever static paradrop – in which the parachute is opened automatically after the jump – from the heavy lift transporter at this altitude.
A high altitude drop zone makes the task all the more difficult. For the air crew, it requires special skills to execute the insertion operations.
The IL-76 from which 20 para troopers jumped recently at Nyoma dropping zone on August 29 belonged to the Chandigarh-based number 44 squadron, also known as the Mighty Jets.
The IAF has increased its flying activities in far flung areas of Leh and Ladakh as it has prepared advanced landing grounds, or temporary airfields at Daulat Baig Oldie, Nyoma and Fukche where light transport aircraft An-32s – a turbo prop – have been operating for the last three to four years.
The IAF sources said it took a year to carry out the feasibility study before the IL-76 was allowed to venture into the risky territory.
While the aircraft was flown by commanding officer of Mighty Jets group Captain V.R. Vishwanathan, the 20-member paratroop group was led by chief instructor of ParaTroopers School Wing Commander S. Baig.
Western air command chief Air Marshal Arup Raha described the mission as a proud moment for the IAF and termed it as a challenging accomplishment.
Source:DailyMail
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