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Army denies transferring failing helicopters to NFA

The army yesterday denied speculation that the UH-1H helicopters it transferred to the National Fire Administration (NFA) might be subject to mechanical failures because they were produced at the time of the Vietnam War.

"The UH-1Hs that we have given to the NFA are the best that we could find from those still serving in the army. They were all checked and tested by a civil aviation company before they were transferred to the NFA," an army official.

"The UH-1H, though it dates from the Vietnam War, is still in use in many countries. The US military still uses them," the official said, who preferred not to be identified.

"The army has plans to retire all the UH-1Hs but before that happens, the army will continue to count on these helicopters for certain missions."

The official made the remarks yesterday in response to speculation by the press that a UH-1H that crashed in an emergency landing in Alishan on Saturday might crashed because of problems with the structure or components of the helicopter.

The army transferred a total of 22 helicopters, including 20 UH-1Hs and 2 B-234s, to the NFA last year for the establishment of its first airborne unit -- the aero-fire squadron.

The army still keeps around 70 of the helicopters in service. It has plans to buy new ones to replace the UH-1Hs but plans have stalled because of a lack of funds.

The army admitted that the helicopters are scheduled to retire but that some of them could still be used for many years.

The 20 helicopters that the army donated to the NFA were the best in the army's inventory, the official said.

Though in service for nearly three decades, these helicopters only have an average of 5,000 flight hours, the official said.

But the army spokesman who responded to the negative reports about the helicopters now serving with the NFA reminded the media that it was the NFA which asked for the helicopters and that the army was just complying with its demand.

"The NFA was then in a rush to establish an airborne unit to handle the increase of rescue missions that require airlifts," the official said. "It is true that we [the army] do not fly the helicopters too often now. We hope to retire them as soon as possible. But the army responsibly donated the helicopters to the NFA," he said.

The aero-fire squadron of the NFA, inaugurated in the middle of last year, is a relatively new unit. It has two branches: one in Taichung county and the other in Taitung.

The unit has been dependent on the army for the provision of pilots and repair and maintenance services.
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