U.K.'s F-35B fighter jet grounded in Kerala finally departs
Ahead of the scheduled departure of the fighter jet, the expert team that arrived from the UK took the aircraft out of the hangar of the Thiruvananthapuram airport on Monday after successfully completing over two-week-long maintenance on the stealth aircraft.
The fifth-generation stealth aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, had been grounded here since June 14 after it developed engineering issues during an emergency landing after running low on fuel here on the night of June 14. Though the British authorities have not officially communicated the details of the maintenance works they had carried out, it is reported that the auxiliary power unit of the aircraft developed some major engineering snags, necessitating the services of an expert team.
Initially, the crew had tried to fix the glitches as soon as the combat jet made an emergency landing after running low on fuel at the Thiruvananthapuram airport, but in vain. The aircraft was later towed to the hangar facility at the airport after the expert team arrived here on July 6. The aircraft was part of the fleet of the HMS Prince of Wales deployed in the Indian Ocean during the time it developed technical issues.
About ₹5 lakh as parking fees
The British authorities have to pay around ₹5 lakh as parking fees to the Thiruvananthapuram airport. The amount is fixed considering the size and weight of the aircraft, along with the number of days it stayed here and the amenities used by the crew during their stay at the airport. It is estimated that the parking fee amounts to around ₹15,000-₹20,000 per day. Delhi-based Bird Group, the ground handling agency, will pay the fee on behalf of the British authorities.
While the airport collects parking fees for the aircraft for each day it has been stationed here since June 14, the fee for using the hangar facility will be charged by AI Engineering Services Ltd., which owns the hangar and provides the maintenance, repairs, and overhaul facility.
The F-35B is the advanced stealth fighter of the UK Royal Air Force, which is known for its short take-off and vertical landing capability.
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