Politicians are scared of flying

After Andhra CM's death in a chopper crash, politicians are scared of flying and now, they don't even pressurise pilots to fly in bad weather

After Andhra CM's death in a chopper crash, politicians are scared of flying and now, they don't even pressurise pilots to fly in bad weather

The tragic death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S R Reddy in a chopper crash has instilled a fear of flying among politicians. Pilots admit that politicians are now wary of flying by private chartered choppers and act responsibly.

Changed attitude
Arjun Bafna, vice-president, Bafna Aviation, said, "We have been flying politicians for quite some time now.

However, there is a huge difference in their attitude now. Their body language and the frequent questions they ask while flying indicates a sense of fear. But what's good is that they now stick to their schedules and do not pressurise pilots to fly in bad weather." BJP politicians in Maharashtra have booked Bafna Aviation till October 10 for their campaign trails.

Unfounded fears
B Sivaj, secretary general of the Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI), the national association of chopper pilots, admitted, "It is true that there is fear among politicians in the wake of the Reddy's chopper crash. But these fears are unfounded, as flying in a chopper is safe. Moreover, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has put strict safety norms in place." Sivaj, who has flown prime ministers and presidents, said that the incident involving Reddy was a rare one.

Amey Gore, spokesperson, Airnetz, a third party operator of choppers, said "Politicians are not in our list of clients. We prefer to maintain a safe distance from them because they create a lot of hassles when it comes to making payments."

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