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GDF without fixed-wing carrier following Cessna crash
…hopes to have Skyvan up by next week
By Zena Henry
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is hoping to have its Skyvan back in operation as early
Guyana Defence Force’s Bell 412
as next week, especially since the Force’s Cessna 206 went down last Wednesday, incurring extensive damage. The Force is currently without its own operational fixed-wing carrier, but will have to use the service of private carriers should the need arise in monitoring and protecting the country’s 83,000 square miles.
In a public notice, it was expressed that no injuries were sustained when the military plane crashed at the army base in the New River area. The GDF said that the single-engine carrier crashed upon landing at Camp Jaguar at 13:50 hours and a Board of Inquiry (BOI) into the incident was mandated. It was alleged that the plane ran off the airstrip.
This latest incident has left the army in need in the area of flight resources, since the 1960s British-made Skyvan would have been down undergoing repairs, while it is understood that the fuselage of the Chinese Harbin Y-12, purchased in 2001, is corroding. That aircraft was a short time ago given an extra five-year operational life.
The Cessna 206, which was seized in a drug raid, was involved in last week’s accident, and while it is assumed that the aircraft might no longer be operational, that will not be confirmed until the engineers assess the damage and determine any probable return to the sky.
Apart from the fixed-wing carriers, three helicopters, including a Bell 412, complement the army fleet. However, one of the helicopters is down with engine failure and is currently being looked at. The other rotary-wing carriers remain operational.
Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips explained to Kaieteur News that in relation to the Y-12, overseas contractors will be visiting the country to conduct repairs on the carrier. He also explained that the Cessna 206 has not been written off as yet, since the agency is not in receipt of an expert’s report on the damage.
The head of the armed forces pointed out, however, that while some of the fixed-wing carriers are temporarily out of service, the Force has access to private aircraft, which can be made available to them.
The army had earlier in the year expressed optimism about the recapitalization of the Force’s aviation arm. Deputy Chief of Staff, Colonel Khemraj Persaud told Kaieteur News in February last, that given the positive feedback from the government, he believed that moves to better equip the country’s first line of defence “will be coming soon”.
The Colonel could not say when the Air Corps expected new or additional planes. He expressed however that the army has had its share of challenges in terms of fleet maintenance, but he was optimistic that the Force would reach a point where all the carriers were operating.
“There are always discussions with the leadership of the country and the Defence board, on the recapitalization, not only of the Air Corps, but other areas of the army,” he had stated.
Opposition leader and retired Brigadier, David Granger, is of the view that the country’s army needs upgrading. He told this publication in an interview that, “Given our perception of the current threats to Guyana’s national defence and security, there needs to be more attention paid to deal with territorial issues, border and territorial security.”
“This would require aircraft, since we have over 2,500 km of border, plus a sea coast to man.” He spoke about a huge sea space, of about 52,000 square miles, “and in order to cover our territory adequately, the defence force needs not only land vehicles, but also more attention needs to be placed on the technical arm, particularly aviation; Air Corps and Coast Guard which deals with maritime problems.”
The Opposition Leader added that there is the need for additional financing to develop specifically the Air Corps and Maritime arm in light of the continued reports of piracy and banditry in interior locations.
Granger said that he supports the call for re-fleeting the Air Corps and believes that more must be done for the nation’s defence.
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