Retired Indian pilot called An-32 "flying coffin"

The Indian media continues a lively discussion of the situation with the loss of An-32 air force aircraft in the mountainous region of the country. On board was a 13 man. The Kaipius blog and Sanjeev Kumar, a retired pilot of the country's naval forces, shared his assumptions on this subject.

The former Indian pilot, who served from 1991 to 2014, recalled that the possibility of acquiring new aircraft for the country's air force and naval forces was being studied, but the solution to this problem was delayed. According to Kumar, the An-32 aircraft operated in India are “unreliable engines, a dubious airframe design and no safety equipment.”

The retired pilot is confident that these aircraft are extremely dangerous "when flying in bad weather, especially over difficult terrain." Kumar emphasizes that flying in the mountains is characterized by difficulties and because of the special navigation, and because of maneuvering. An aircraft directed to fly over difficult terrain must have the means to ensure the safety of the crew.

According to the former pilot, several security features are missing in Indian military aircraft. This is, for example, a warning system and approach to the ground, a system that prevents collisions.

According to Kumar, the pilots of the Indian Air Force and Navy often have to rely only on “their own judgment” to ensure security in difficult conditions. It happens that such judgments are subjective. At the same time in the technical arsenal of the aircraft there are no means capable of helping the pilot in flight in inclement weather or over the mountains.

Sanjeev Kumar reported in the military aviation of India An-32 nicknamed "flying coffin." The reason - from the date of delivery to the country of this aircraft, 20 emergencies occurred to him. Opinions about An-32, as a flying coffin "adheres to Kumar himself.

However, in this case, one should remember one important “detail” that does not allow to change the situation for the better. In India, there is a traditional reluctance to modernize military equipment. Aviation needs new technologies, first of all, those that provide flight safety.

The retired pilot does not say why An-32 was sent over the mountains in inclement weather. One can talk about “bad engines, a bad glider and a flying coffin”, but first of all there must be an understanding that adverse weather conditions can lead to a catastrophe of any aircraft.