November 02, 2020
A helicopter to be used for natural disasters management and State affairs, including rescue and emergency responses, arrived in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
The state-owned AW-139 type XY-AFT was inspected at Nay Pyi Taw International Airport by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Union Ministers U Kyaw Tint Swe, U Min Thu and U Soe Win, along with members of the board responsible for purchasing the helicopter, as well as deputy ministers and departmental officials.
Afterwards, the State Counsellor boarded the helicopter and flew over Nay Pyi Taw.
Using funds from the national disaster management budget, the helicopter was bought for assisting in disaster management, including rescue and emergency response to disasters in the country, and state affairs. The helicopter flew from Malaysia on 30 October, arriving later the same day at Yangon International Airport.
Department of Civil Aviation checked the helicopter at the Yangon International Airport on 31 October, and conducted acceptance test flight flying to the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, which is implementing the tasks of National Disaster Management Committee, signed a contract with Leonardo S.P.A Company on 17 October 2019 to purchase the helicopter, and checked parts of the helicopter at the helicopter factory on 30 January 2020.
The helicopter was then sent to the workshop of the company in Malaysia. Although installation of the helicopter was completed in early April, it has to fly to Myanmar now due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The helicopter that can carry a total of 16 persons – 14 passengers and 2 pilots – and can fly over 600 kilometres is equipped with rescue gears for land and water rescue processes.
The ministry also signed a contract with Air Myanmar Aviation Service, the organization that is currently providing service for the AW-139 helicopter, for flying and maintaining of the newly-purchased one.—MNA
