Ecuador cuts helicopter contract with Indian state company

[Zarvan]

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador says it's unilaterally ending a contract with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which sold seven military helicopters to the South American nation.

At least four of the Dhruv helicopters delivered between 2009 and 2012 have crashed. One was assigned to transport President Rafael Correa, though he wasn't in the aircraft at the time.

Defense Minister Fernando Cordero announced the action during a news conference Wednesday. He said two of the crashes were caused by mechanical failures. The three remaining Dhruv have been grounded.

Ecuador earlier complained that the Indian company had failed to ship some parts for the helicopters, which were bought for a total of $45.2 million.

HAL's website says the multirole Dhruv can carry as many as 12 passengers and two crewmembers. Nepal and Mauritius also operate Dhruv.

Defence News - Ecuador cuts helicopter contract with Indian state company

 

[navtrek]

Ecuador earlier complained that the Indian company had failed to ship some parts for the helicopters, which were bought for a total of $45.2 million.

That should say it all.

 

[Rain]

Molvi thats cool news. thanks

 

[Abingdonboy]

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador says it's unilaterally ending a contract with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which sold seven military helicopters to the South American nation.

At least four of the Dhruv helicopters delivered between 2009 and 2012 have crashed. One was assigned to transport President Rafael Correa, though he wasn't in the aircraft at the time.

Defense Minister Fernando Cordero announced the action during a news conference Wednesday. He said two of the crashes were caused by mechanical failures. The three remaining Dhruv have been grounded.

Ecuador earlier complained that the Indian company had failed to ship some parts for the helicopters, which were bought for a total of $45.2 million.

HAL's website says the multirole Dhruv can carry as many as 12 passengers and two crewmembers. Nepal and Mauritius also operate Dhruv.

Defence News - Ecuador cuts helicopter contract with Indian state company

The Ecuadorians are plagued by these "maintenance issues"- many of their other aircraft have been hit by this too. I don't think it is fair to blame HAL for this, initially the Ecuadorians tried to pass of a few of the crashes as maintenance related but HAL conclusively proved it had been pilot error. The ALHs delivered to Nepal, Mauritius and the Maldives have had no such issues.

Ecuador needs to look at its training (of both pilots and ground crew).

 

[mkb95]

The Ecuadorians are plagued by these "maintenance issues"- many of their other aircraft have been hit by this too. I don't think it is fair to blame HAL for this, initially the Ecuadorians tried to pass of a few of the crashes as maintenance related but HAL conclusively proved it had been pilot error. The ALHs delivered to Nepal, Mauritius and the Maldives have had no such issues.

Ecuador needs to look at its training (of both pilots and ground crew).

well according to wiki,12 indian dhruv have been crashed.so problem is in heli.

 

[Guynextdoor2]

THANK YOU EQUADOR!!! Man working with these jokers has given India a bad name. Anything they buy from anywhere in the world they crash. And then they blame the manufacturer.

 

[Abingdonboy]

well according to wiki,12 indian dhruv have been crashed.so problem is in heli.

12 with over 200 in service in multiple countries for over a decade now that too when these helos are being flown daily in inhospitable climates such as NE and JK? There is nothing wrong with the helo, the attrition rate is well within acceptable norms and quite a few have been found to be pilot error (the vast majority in fact).

THANK YOU EQUADOR!!! Man working with these jokers has given India a bad name. Anything they buy from anywhere in the world they crash. And then they blame the manufacturer.

Nailed it. HAL were so desperate for orders they jumped the gun with Ecuador when they would have been smart to conduct some due diligence and steer clear of these amateurs.


+ for all those trying to malign the ALH/HAL, tell me, does any air force select what they consider to be an unsafe aircraft to fly their head of state? Ecuador found the ALH to be perfectly safe to do so, the problems came AFTER it was inducted.

 

[damiendehorn]

HAL will find it far more difficult to sell the ALH now, more so to other latin american countries (one of their key target markets). After sales support is THE KEY to international sales, whether its the fault of the Ecuadorian Airforce or HAL will make little difference, ultimately this will adversly effect further sales.

HAL really has issues with its sales, support and spares..."doing a russian" (quoting rock bottom prices to win a contract, then jacking up the price of spares/support, even raising the price of the last 2 ALHs) is not the best long term business practice.

 

[volatile]

Dhruv was badly manufactured aircraft by HAL with so many crashes in India and other .I think to blame Ecudor is not right as HAL failed to satisfy any of its customer .IAF concern related to teja appears to be right then.

 

[ptltejas]

Ecuador earlier complained that the Indian company had failed to ship some parts for the helicopters, which were bought for a total of $45.2 million.

That should say it all.

True but our Evading Answer, why we complained to Russia for not supplying the spares for Mig-21; this is really concern things, especially when India agreed to make the contract with some foreign nation; credit of India and HAL be their, moreover the Moral Responsibility of those who died in accident becomes of HAL and so of us, And we (India) need to compensate Equador for the Both, the person died in accident and for helicopters, by necessary compensation.

 

[navtrek]

True but our Evading Answer, why we complained to Russia for not supplying the spares for Mig-21; this is really concern things, especially when India agreed to make the contract with some foreign nation; credit of India and HAL be their, moreover the Moral Responsibility of those who died in accident becomes of HAL and so of us, And we (India) need to compensate Equador for the Both, the person died in accident and for helicopters, by necessary compensation.

exactly what i was also thinking when I read this news.

 

[Indian Patriot]

The Ecuadorians are plagued by these "maintenance issues"- many of their other aircraft have been hit by this too. I don't think it is fair to blame HAL for this, initially the Ecuadorians tried to pass of a few of the crashes as maintenance related but HAL conclusively proved it had been pilot error. The ALHs delivered to Nepal, Mauritius and the Maldives have had no such issues.

Let's not jump into conclusions. The Russians also put the blame on India every time a Mig crashes.

 

[SurvivoR]

Great news... but I think HAL is lucky that the chopper intended for the Ecuadorian president crashed without him.

Imagine the bad press worldwide it would have received!

After the flying coffins... we proudly introduce the hovering coffin.. the ALH Dhruv!