Indian Navy Sea Harriers

[Flash]

Interesting article on India's Sea Harriers and how they are slowly running out of them. While their MiG-29K's for their new carrier will start to be delivered next year, the carrier has been delayed for a a few years.

http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/i...view&issueid=31&id=2902&Itemid=1&sectionid=36

 

[bunk22]

The Indian Navy students going through Whiting right now are all destined to fly those Mig-29's. I got to fly with CAPT Gupta (O-6) when he was part of the FITU at Whiting. He was the old Indian liason, who had flown their Sea Harrier for many years and was the Indian Sea Harrier FRS Skipper as well at one point. He said several had crashed over the years but I didn't know it was more than half of their force. Crazy.

 

[Steve Davies]

As the author of the article points out, the Indians should have bought the Royal Navy's FA2s when they retired them. However, he really needs to do more research.

I like the swipe at the former colonial masters, but calling the Brit government 'waffling' seems pretty redundant when one considers that the Indian Navy could have solved its current deficit with the airframes, even if they were sans radar and some avionics. Blaming us for growing tired of their indecision seems a little harsh.

As for the journalist's gloomy attitude about having to scour the world for spares, had he (and the Indian government) done their research, they'd know that until very recently there were still four FA2s (that's 16 months' worth at their rate of attrition!) available to purchase. Today, there are three that I know of still on the market, one of which is a new build.

 

[Flash]

As the author of the article points out, the Indians should have bought the Royal Navy's FA2s when they retired them. However, he really needs to do more research.

I like the swipe at the former colonial masters, but calling the Brit government 'waffling' seems pretty redundant when one considers that the Indian Navy could have solved its current deficit with the airframes, even if they were sans radar and some avionics. Blaming us for growing tired of their indecision seems a little harsh.

As for the journalist's gloomy attitude about having to scour the world for spares, had he (and the Indian government) done their research, they'd know that until very recently there were still four FA2s (that's 16 months' worth at their rate of attrition!) available to purchase. Today, there are three that I know of still on the market, one of which is a new build.

Well, I know where one of them ended up. When I opened up the paper today to the local section I was greeted by a picture of guy standing in front of a former RN FA.2 Sea Harrier. The guy is a retired Marine Harrier pilot and did well in real estate after he got out, he owns a Yak-3 and a L-39 too. Believe it or not, it is actually flyable! He has flown it twice so far, the second flight ended at Pax River with a Hyd light.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/01/AR2008010102135.html?nav=hcmoduletmv

 

[Zilch]

Alls I can say is...damn. I hope I do so well.

 

[Harrier Dude]

I've never heard of the guy. Not even a story about him. He was way before my time, but I know a lot of the Old Timers and still haven't ever heard his callsign before.

It must be true, or he would have probably died on his first flight though.

 

[HuggyU2]

... the second flight ended at Pax River with a Hyd light.

And a collapsed right outrigger gear. The damage was claimed to be limited to "wrinkled skin".
He's got his own website, but I'm in a location with very little bandwidth, so you'll have to find it on your own. Sorry.
If you've ever met Art, you'd remember him. VERY ambitious, and loves to talk about his grand aviation plans. You've got to be impressed, though: he put his money where is mouth was, and he pulled it off.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

The company I work (well my last day was Dec 27th) for does a lot of outsourcing to India. One of the guys that came over from India for training was a retired Indian Navy Harrier pilot. I tried talking to him but could barely make out a word he was saying.

 

[FLYTPAY]

The company I work (well my last day was Dec 27th) for does a lot of outsourcing to India. One of the guys that came over from India for training was a retired Indian Navy Harrier pilot. I tried talking to him but could barely make out a word he was saying.

I think he was saying something about holding CNTRL-ALT-DELETE at the same time.

 

[Mumbles]

Interesting article on India's Sea Harriers and how they are slowly running out of them. While their MiG-29K's for their new carrier will start to be delivered next year, the carrier has been delayed for a a few years.

http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/i...view&issueid=31&id=2902&Itemid=1&sectionid=36

here are a few links on what's going on...
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...akthrough_on_Gorshkov/articleshow/2686282.cms
http://www.alert5.com/2008/01/should-us-sell-kitty-hawk-to-india.html

It's hard for me to believe that there is any serious consideration to selling the Kitty to the Indians...