UK MOD Photo Nepal has denied permission to deploy the three Chinook helicopters send by UK to aid the humanitarian missions following th...
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| UK MOD Photo |
Nepal government said the helicopter is too large to operate from quake hit villages and the heavy down wash from the two tandem rotors of the Chinook will damage the houses and buildings during take off and landing.
The Chinooks left UK from May 1, has arrived in New Delhi, India last week en route to the quake-hit country.
The relief operations has been a huge challenge because many are in remote mountainous terrain that is only accessible by helicopter or on foot.
Deployment of the large V-22 Osprey tiltrotor helicopters by US has also been critisiced as being ill-suited to Nepal’s mountainous terrain due to its bigger size. Local media reported a incident in which the roof of a small building was blown off by a Osprey relief flight.
But heavy lift capabilities of these helicopters are crucial to deliver aid to remote regions in considerable quantities on time.
The Osprey with its tiltrotor capability, which enable to rotate the two rotors forward and fly like a turboprop airliner can deliver aid faster than a helicopter.
