The HAL-made Chetak helicopter, IAF’s oldest, has a special place in India’s aviation history. It has been used to train pilots, fly VIPs, and in military operations
The Chetak helicopter was originally called Aloutte III and was renamed to Chetak — after the legendary horse of the 16th Century Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap — for the Indian Armed Forces. AFP
The oldest helicopter in the Indian Air Force (IAF), Chetak, has completed 60 years of service and to commemorate this moment, the IAF has organised a conclave at its Hakimpet station in Secunderabad on 2 April.
A statement from the IAF said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest at the conclave, adding that the event will also involve reflections, narrations and discussions by prominent speakers from the veteran community and the services.
We take a look at the history of this workhorse and its contribution to the Air Force.
History of the Chetak
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) started manufacturing the Chetak helicopters in 1962, by entering an agreement with M/s SUD-AVIATION (Presently M/s AIRBUS (Former EUROCOPTER), France).
The helicopter was originally called Aloutte III and was renamed to Chetak — after the legendary horse of the 16th Century Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap — for the Indian Armed Forces.
The first Chetak (Aloutte III) delivered to the IAF in ‘Fly Away’ condition in 1965.
The Chetak helicopter is a two tonne class helicopter and is powered by an Artouste – III B turbo shaft engine. The helicopter has a range of 500 kilometres and a top speed of 185 kilometres per hour. Seven people, including two pilots, can be transported in the single-engine helicopter.
The helicopter is versatile and is used for different purposes ranging from commuting, cargo transport as well as for casualty evacuation and search and rescue operations.
The Chetak is used by all three services — the Army, Navy and Air Force — as well as the Coast Guard.
According to information provided by HAL on its website, over 350 of these helicopters have been sold in and out of India. Notably, HAL has also received orders for Chetak helicopters from the defence ministries of Namibia and Suriname.
The helicopter is versatile and is used for different purposes ranging from commuting, cargo transport as well as for casualty evacuation and search and rescue operations. AFP
Contribution
The Chetak holds a significant place in India’s aviation history.
Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retired), former additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies notes that it is used for training pilots at IAF’s Helicopter Training School and has been the backbone of the rotary wing fleets of the services as well as in civil aviation.
The Chetak has really done it all while in service — from flying VIPs, to participating in military operations, to undertaking casualty evacuations.
The Chetak also plays a vital role in high-altitude places, such as the Siachen glacier, as it serves as a lifeline in the area when it comes to transportation as well as carrying out recces of the region.
This versatile helicopter can also dance! In 1970 at the Republic Day parade, the Chetak helicopter masqueraded as an elephant delighting the audiences at Rajpath.
In 1993, the Chetak once again took to the skies mimicking a dodo bird — the national bird of Mauritius.
Safety record
The Chetak’s stellar role has been marred a bit, as its safety record has come under investigation owing to crashes.
In 2021, a News18 report had stated that as many as nine Chetak helicopters of the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF) had crashed since 2017, averaging around two accidents a year.
A senior defence officer had told News18.com that the biggest problem with the single-engine Chetaks is their obsolete avionics. “This means a lack of features such as a moving map display, which most modern helicopters have. Modern helicopters have a ground proximity warning system, and weather radar which these vintage choppers lack. They also lack an auto-pilot system, which aggravates the chances of mishandling of controls in case of disorientation in bad weather,” the officer said.
The IAF is now planning to replace the Chetaks with the indigenous Light Utility Helicopter.
With inputs from agencies
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