East Pakistan Helicopter Service
The East Pakistan Helicopter Service refers to the scheduled helicopter services operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in East Pakistan during the 1960s. It was one of the earliest air services of its kind in the world and one of the most extensive helicopter networks in history.[1][2]
History
Pakistan's interest in helicopters for
The PIA S-61Ns were configured to carry a total of 24 passengers with four crew members and 1,800 lb of cargo. The first five pilots were trained with British European Airways (BEA) at a training facility in Kidlington, England, where they learnt to fly the Brantly B-2 light helicopter. They then converted to S-61N at Sikorsky's factory in Connecticut, United States. They returned to Pakistan for route flying on a Hiller UH-12E4 before delivery of the S-61Ns.[3]
The helicopter route to Khulna reduced the 21-hour journey overland to 37 minutes by air.[3] 20 towns and cities covered by the network,[1] including Bogra, Sirajganj, Chittagong, Mongla, Kushtia, Barisal, Chandpur, Sandwip and Hatiya Upazila. The average price of a ticket was 25 rupees. It was the world's largest commercial helicopter network at the time.[1]
The only
PIA began switching to
Fleet
Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | Routes | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | Total | ||||||
Sikorsky S-61 | 3 | — | 24 | Domestic | |||
Total | 3 | — |
Accidents
On 2 February 1966 Flight 17, operated by a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter, crashed on a scheduled domestic flight in East Pakistan after the main gearbox failed, killing 23 of the 24 passengers and crew on board.[4]
Gallery
-
A PIA helicopter at Dacca Airport
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Asia: Choppers over Pakistan". Time. 13 December 1963.
- ^ "1965 – 50 years ago today: PIA has become efficient". Dawn. 14 March 2015.
- ^ a b c "Aircraft of Old Days". History of PIA - Pakistan International Airlines.
- ^ a b UK CAA Document CAA 429 World Airline Accident Summary