Latest news with #Bell407
New Indian Express
18 hours ago
- General
- New Indian Express
DGCA mulling restricting helicopter operations to Char Dham, two operators suspended for violating rules
NEW DELHI: In light of the recent mishaps involving a Kestrel Aviation helicopter at Uttarakhand on Saturday (June 7) and a spate of accidents in the recent past along the Char Dham route, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday said it is considering curtailing helicopter operations in Uttarakhand. In a related development, two shuttle operators ferrying to Kedarnath were found to have violated the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) on Monday and their operations were temporarily suspended. An official release from DGCA said, "Directives have been issued to all helicopter operators, restricting operations to OGE (Out of Ground Effect) conditions until further orders. As a precautionary measure, DGCA is also reviewing the necessity of curtailing the helicopter operations to Char Dham if required. " Elaborating on OGE, a senior DGCA official said that this permitted only less load to be carried in each aircraft. "For Kedarnath operations if done in OGE, it will entail a minimum of one passenger less in every sortie for AS350 type of helicopter. For Bell 407 type of helicopter, operations will have to be curtailed to only one or two shuttles followed by a refuelling halt." Presently, operations are in IGE (In Ground Effect) and this allows a higher amount of load to be carried.
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
From floating Fiats to helicopters, how to travel to the Hamptons in style
The only thing better than dashing off to the Hamptons for a summer weekend is arriving there — and party-hopping between hamlets — in high style. Here are three chic ways to escape the city and book it to the beach like the cool kids do. By Blade 4 Blade is offering four seasonal passes for a soaring summer in the Hamptons. Looking to slice the price of your summer commute? Blade has four new seasonal passes running from May 22 to Sept. 2. For frequent fliers, the summer steal is the Limitless pass — it gives you unlimited flights between Manhattan and the East End (as well as NYC-area airports) aboard one of the company's amphibious seaplanes or Bell 407 helicopters for $18,000. Advertisement That means you can drop the family off at the beach in the morning, hit the office in Manhattan and be back for sunset cocktails with no added costs, no blackout dates and absolutely zero stress. Blade is also introducing a $4,450 Summer Pass that locks in the price of flights between NYC and the Hamptons at $795. You'll fly on the company's Xcel helicopter or Aqua seaplane to any of their six Hamptons drop-off destinations. But if you swoon for Southampton or must be in Montauk, Blade has additional deals specifically for those airports. Upward and onward. By Barbie yacht 4 Yacht Hampton's 'Barbie' yacht keeps travels pretty in pink. Courtesy of Yacht Hampton Once you're in the Hamptons, the fun shouldn't stop. For trips to Orient, Greenport, Block Island, head to Yacht Hampton in Sag Harbor, where Joe Ialacci has an outrageous assortment of bobbing beauties. Advertisement There's a 16-foot floating Fiat (yes, as in the car) for tubing (from $799). He's got a brand-new 22-foot pink 'Barbie' boat, perfect, according to Ialacci, for popping the question, bachelorette parties or a day out with the gal pals (from $799). And don't worry, boys, there's a blue 'Ken' boat, too. He's added 10 new models just this season. He's also creating a 'water kingdom' of floating toys to splash with this summer. 'I'm making all the colors match so that it looks like Palm Beach, like you are off the coast from the Breakers.' Or choose from dozens of yachts, big and small: 'Some people will rent a boat for $5,000 or $6,000 just to go to lunch.' By charter yacht 4 Knight operates a 12-passenger Hinckley Talaria 44 jet boat. Courtesy of Royal Yacht Charter Advertisement Not so long ago, you might have kept your yacht in Greenwich and sailed to the East End on the weekends — or better still, caught a ride on your friend's big bad boat. But the sails in the marina are disappearing, says James Knight, the captain of Royal Yacht Charter. 'We've seen families become tax exiles and take their planes and the yachts to Florida,' he says. 'They come back and they want a boat, so we act like their boat, coming to their dock at their house.' A truly under-the-radar service for those in the know, Royal Yacht Charter is one of the only charters left in the game sailing regular routes from NYC or Greenwich to the Hamptons ($4,000 from Connecticut and $4,850 from NYC). Knight operates a 12-passenger Hinckley Talaria 44 jet boat as his flagship vessel (retailing for about $3.6 million) as well as a picnic boat for smaller groups. The trip takes about three hours (but do stop somewhere scenic for lunch) and docks where you like — say Sag Harbor or Sunset Beach on Shelter Island. By whirlybird 4 Choppers by HeliFlite charge around $2,500 per person. Courtesy of HeliFlite Advertisement Real high fliers don't copter-pool, they charter their own chopper. For three decades, HeliFlite has been shuttling Manhattan VIPs to and from the East End (and more recently from Miami to Palm Beach and even the Bahamas) with the largest fleet of twin engine helicopters on the East Coast. Think: eight-passenger Sikorsky S-76s and nine-passenger Leonardo AW139s. Now curious commuters can try out the service with an introductory HeliCard package. It offers prepaid flight time at lower, locked-in rates, and guarantees a chopper will be waiting to whisk you to Southampton, East Hampton or Montauk. Instead of springing for 25 hours of flight time, first-timers can buy as little as five — about enough to get you to and fro the Hamptons over two weekends. The plan starts at $89,500 (roughly $2,500 per passenger per trip on a nine-seater). But getting there in 35 minutes? Priceless.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Aircraft accident investigation bureau team reaches Uttarkashi to probe chopper crash
Dehradun: A day after six people were killed when a chopper ferrying pilgrims to Gangotri crashed into a gorge near Gangnani village, a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), a division under the ministry of Civil Aviation, arrived in Uttarkashi on Friday to probe cause behind the multi-member team landed in Dehradun and then flew to Bhatwari helipad, from where they were taken to the crash site. The helicopter wreckage, still lying at the spot, is now the focus of their investigation."The team was taken to the site by SDRF and district officials. They conducted a preliminary investigation and later returned to Dehradun," said Shardul Gusain, Uttarkashi's district disaster management AAIB team is expected to carry out a detailed analysis, including an examination of the wreckage, flight data, and pilot records, to determine the cause of the accident occurred around 8.30 am on Thursday, at a time when the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a weather alert for May 7 and 8 in Uttarkashi. However, what happened between take-off and the crash remains helicopter, a Bell 407, was operated by Ahmedabad-based Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd . Operation Sindoor PM Modi meets NSA, chiefs of armed forces amid spike in tensions with Pak India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan Several airports in India to be closed till May 15 - check list Among the six killed were five pilgrims and the pilot. One of the victims was Vedavathi Kumari, 48, sister of Anantapur TDP MP Ambica G Lakshminarayana. Her husband, Maktur Bhaskar, 51, who was seated beside her, survived, but is in critical condition at AIIMS A day after six people were killed when a chopper ferrying pilgrims to Gangotri crashed into a gorge near Gangnani village, a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), a division under the ministry of Civil Aviation, arrived in Uttarkashi on Friday to probe cause behind the multi-member team landed in Dehradun and then flew to Bhatwari helipad, from where they were taken to the crash site. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The helicopter wreckage, still lying at the spot, is now the focus of their investigation."The team was taken to the site by SDRF and district officials. They conducted a preliminary investigation and later returned to Dehradun," said Shardul Gusain, Uttarkashi's district disaster management AAIB team is expected to carry out a detailed analysis, including an examination of the wreckage, flight data, and pilot records, to determine the cause of the accident occurred around 8.30 am on Thursday, at a time when the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a weather alert for May 7 and 8 in Uttarkashi. However, what happened between take-off and the crash remains helicopter, a Bell 407, was operated by Ahmedabad-based Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd. Among the six killed were five pilgrims and the pilot. One of the victims was Vedavathi Kumari, 48, sister of Anantapur TDP MP Ambica G Lakshminarayana. Her husband, Maktur Bhaskar, 51, who was seated beside her, survived, but is in critical condition at AIIMS Rishikesh.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Mechanical fault, human error or weather change?: What caused chopper crash in Gangotri that killed 5 Char Dham pilgrims & pilot
A helicopter crash near Gangotri shrine has claimed the lives of five passengers and the pilot, prompting an inquiry by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The Bell 407, operated by Aero Trans Service, crashed shortly after taking off from Kharsali. DEHRADUN: The aircraft accident investigation bureau, under directions from DGCA, has launched an inquiry into what caused the fatal crash of a helicopter ferrying six passengers to Gangotri shrine on Thursday. Whether it was mechanical failure, human error, or a sudden change in weather will be central to the probe. Five passengers and the pilot were killed. Among the six victims were Dr Kala Soni, 61, and Ruchi Agarwal, 56, both residents of Powai; and Ruchi's mother, Radha Agarwal, 79, originally from Bareilly, who had been staying with her daughter in Powai. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Robin Singh, 60, a seasoned flyer from Gujarat. Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full list Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said India foils Pakistan's attack on Jammu airport: What we know so far The helicopter, a Bell 407 operated by Ahmedabad-based Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd, began its journey at Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun early on Thursday morning. It dropped off a group of pilgrims at Kharsali near Yamunotri. After refuelling and preparing for the next phase, it lifted off from Kharsali with its second batch of passengers — bound for Harsil, from where pilgrims are taken to the Gangotri shrine. The crash happened at a time when the India Meteorological Department had issued a weather alert for May 7 and 8 in Uttarkashi district. However, what happened between take-off and the crash is still unclear. Initial accounts suggest the aircraft, nearing Harsil, veered off course and lost altitude suddenly. It struck the hillside near the Gangnani Nagraja temple and tumbled down an almost 250-metre gorge. Within minutes of the crash, villagers, many of whom had seen or heard the impact, alerted authorities. Personnel from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Uttarkashi police soon reached the site for a rescue operation. Two helicopters stood by at Bhatwari helipad, which had been activated immediately for emergency use. Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary of disaster management and rehabilitation, said that the state's emergency operations centre used geolocation data to pinpoint the crash site. Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd, which owns the chopper, operates two Bell helicopters and one Cessna aircraft as per its website. The company has not released a statement. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami issued a message of condolence and instructed district officials to extend full support to the victims' families. But beyond official reactions, the crash has raised fresh alarm over the risks of chopper travel in the Himalayas, particularly during the highpressure Char Dham season, when demand surges and there are virtually back-to-back sorties throughout the day.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Chopper carrying Char Dham pilgrims crashes near Gangotri, pilot among 6 dead
Dehradun: Six people died and one person sustained critical injuries when a helicopter ferrying passengers to the Gangotri shrine lost altitude and plunged into a gorge near Gangnani village in Uttarkashi in the Garhwal Himalayas around 8.30am on Thursday. Among the dead were five pilgrims and the pilot. The only survivor, a passenger hailing from Andhra Pradesh, was airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh in critical condition. Among the dead was Vedavathi Kumari, 48, sister of Anantapur TDP MP Ambica G Lakshminarayana. Her husband, Maktur Bhaskar, 51, who was beside her when the helicopter went down, is battling for life at the hospital. Another deceased passenger, Vijaya Reddy, 57, a native of Andhra Pradesh who had been living in Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, and working as a yoga teacher, was travelling with the couple as part of the Char Dham pilgrimage. The remaining deceased have been identified as Dr Kala Soni, 61, and Ruchi Agarwal, 56, both residents of Powai, Mumbai; and Ruchi's mother, Radha Agarwal, 79, originally from Bareilly, who had been staying with her daughter. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Robin Singh, 60, a seasoned flyer from Gujarat. The helicopter, a Bell 407 operated by Ahmedabad-based Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd , began its journey at Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun early on Thursday morning. Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full list Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said India foils Pakistan's attack on Jammu airport: What we know so far It dropped off a group of pilgrims at Kharsali near Yamunotri. After refuelling and preparing for the next phase, it lifted off again from Kharsali with its second batch of passengers — bound for Harsil, from where pilgrims are taken to the Gangotri shrine. The crash happened at a time when the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a weather alert for May 7 and 8 in Uttarkashi district. However, what happened between take-off and the crash is still unclear. Initial accounts suggest the aircraft, nearing Harsil, veered off course and lost altitude suddenly. It struck the hillside near the Gangnani Nagraja temple and tumbled down an almost 250-metre gorge. Within minutes of the crash, villagers, many of whom had seen or heard the impact, alerted authorities. Personnel from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Uttarkashi police soon reached the site for a rescue operation. Two helicopters stood by at Bhatwari helipad, which had been activated immediately for emergency use. Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary of disaster management and rehabilitation, said the state's emergency operations centre used geolocation data to pinpoint the crash aircraft accident investigation bureau, under direction from DGCA, has launched an inquiry into what caused the crash. Whether it was mechanical failure, human error, or a sudden change in weather will be central to the probe. Aero Trans Service Pvt Ltd, which owns the chopper, operates two Bell helicopters and one Cessna aircraft as per its website. The company has not released a statement. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued a message of condolence and instructed district officials to extend full support to the victims' families. But beyond official reactions, the crash has raised fresh alarm over the risks of chopper travel in the Himalayas, particularly during the high-pressure Char Dham season, when demand surges and there are virtually back-to-back sorties throughout the day.
