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Flying is always full of challenges, but landing on a “virtual” runway under extreme weather conditions is, no doubt, the ultimate challenge for the man and the machine.
Vijay Mohan recounts the heart-stopping moments from the landing of an AN-32 at the world’s highest airstrip — Daulat Beg Oldie
The aircrew had just about 30 seconds and barely 1,500 metres to level-out a sluggish AN-32 from a virtual dive and slowdown to an acceptable landing speed for a maiden touch down onto a bumpy, unpaved airstrip amid towering snow-capped mountains. Throttling back and deploying flaps after climbing over a 18,500 feet peak, the AN-32, its engines operating at just 65 per cent efficiency. It was flying about 70 km faster than its normal landing speed due to rarified atmosphere when the relatively smooth glide turned into a bone-racking ride as its wheels raised dust at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), the world’s highest airstrip. For the aircrew of 48 Squadron, the unusual bumps, however, felt good. Months of planning and preparation had yielded success and by landing an AN-32 at the 16,300 feet advanced landing ground (ALG) in Ladakh, they had re-written aviation history. It was for the first time that a twin-engine aircraft had landed at that height. Besides, what they accomplished had a vital bearing on national security.
It was slightly cloudy with light winds and the early morning haze had reduced visibility to 80 per cent when, on May 31 2008, Gp Capt S. C. Chafekar, the squadron’s Commanding Officer and captain of the aircraft exited the Nubra Valley, turned right and began his decent towards DBO, 23 miles ahead. Since DBO is situated in a bowl, the circuit pattern overhead was irregular and hill clearance was just about 400 feet. "The requirement of all crew members contributing was very high and in such situations the demand on the skills and responsibility is so high that everyone peaks on his performance," he said. The DBO was re-activated after 43 years. Earlier, US-made C-119 Packet aircraft used to make the aerial trek to DBO. These twin-engine turbo-props were specially modified with a jet engine fitted over its fuselage to give it the requisite power for the arduous job. The DBO is located at the easternmost point of the Karakoram range and lies at the base of the strategically significant Karakoram pass. Just about 10 km dead ahead of the strip is the Karakoram Highway that connects China with Pakistan. In the days of yore, it was a camping ground on the ancient Silk Route alongside the Chip-Chap River. Local legend has it that the place was named after Daulat Beg Oldie, a 16th century Yarkandi nobleman who died there in a snowstorm. In winters, the temperature plummets to minus 40`BA Celsius, with icy winds lashing the barren, but surrealistically enchanting landscape. Landing operations by fixed-wing aircraft were suspended in 1966 after an earthquake damaged the area and loosened the surface soil. Helicopter operations and air drops, though continued. The mission The idea of reactivating the DBO and other ALGs for landing fixed-wing aircraft stemmed from the IAF’s 48 Squadron. Regular air maintenance sorties in and out of these ALGs would be a shot in the arm for logistic operations, speed up troop rotation and evacuation and boost up morale. As any soldier who has spent some time in such confines would tell, the sight of an aircraft coming in has an electrifying effect. IAF officers said the troops have to trek for seven days from the DBO to Thoise airbase to board an aircraft for home, while in an AN-32, they can be out of the DBO in 20 minutes. Extensive work was carried out on ground to prepare the airstrip. It was 2,200 metres long and 53 metres wide, with at one point its left edge being just about 15 feet from the edge of the gorge. Sappers from 235 Engineer Regiment used road rollers and used engine oil to harden and strengthen the topsoil. The centreline was painted and numbered jerry cans were used as distance markers. Iron PSP sheets were hammered into the ground at touchdown point to bear impact. Plan execution The mission called for unparalleled flying skills and the most experienced fliers in the squadron formed the core team. The CO, Chafekar, had earlier conducted trial landings at Kargil and Hanle in Ladakh, Tuting in Arunachal, Agatti in Lakshwadeep and Campbell in the Andamans. The co-pilot, Wg Cdr Mahesh Aserkar was an experienced hand at difficult landings, having been the lead pilot into Campbell Bay and Car Nicobar during post-Tsunami relief operations, while the navigator, Wg Cdr A Ray was a veteran of several joint exercises overseas. The flight engineer, JWO Ram Verma had spent more than 4,000 hours monitoring engines during flights across Jammu and Kashmir, north-east, Bay of Bengal as well as Afghanistan. Given the flying parametres, the aircraft had to be in top shape and the bird to be used for the maiden landing was selected carefully. "The performance of the aircraft’s engines during forward area flights for the past three months was evaluated," Wg Cdr SC Tripathy, the squadron’s technical officer said. "Each component of the engine was serviced, pipes, hoses, rivet joints and hydraulic system examined and the braking system, the most important aspect, was validated," he added. The aircraft was stripped of auxiliaries to reduce weight. Ground recces of the airstrip to ascertain its suitability and trial flights to check circuit patterns, terrain clearances and escape routes, were carried out. Flying a little above the strip, the aircrew simulated single-engine performance during landing and take-off. Data generated from these sorties was extensively analysed and validated before finally concluding that a landing was possible. With Wing Commander Aserkar calling out flight parameters over his head-set and keeping a sharp eye on engine performance and any emergency warnings, Group Captain Chafekar negotiated the 18,500 feet high peaks on his final approach and commenced a steep decent. "The rate of decent was eight to nine metres per second as compared to four metres per second in Leh and three metres per second in Chandigarh. The controls were sluggish and engine response was not immediate due to rarified atmosphere," he said. Stating that he had about 30-40 seconds to pull out and level-off before raising the aircraft’s nose to land, he said a constant list of emergency procedures and safety measures was flashing through his mind. "We had to be prepared for any eventuality. A tyre burst, engine failure, aircraft weering off-track, the soil giving way, the aircraft ‘floating’ or not holding on to the ground and not being able to brake in time were some of the emergencies that could crop up," he said. The landing was soft and
the first thing that came to his mind through the puff of dust in the
aircrew’s peripheral vision, he said, was that the surface soil had held and they had done it. The nose-wheel touched down, the aircraft rattled down the rough surface and slowed down, bringing a sigh of relief, with the navigator quipping over the headsets, “What a ride, but it feels good!” He had the awesome responsibility to come up with precise calculations for ensuring they remained within Indian Territory, did not enter any of the numerous blind valleys that could have been disastrous or deviate from the course which could have resulted in mission failure. The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, Air Marshal P. K Barbora, who was the impetus behind the DBO operations was onboard the aircraft during the first landing. As the AN-32 made the historic landing, the Air Officer Commanding 12 Wing, Air Cmde S.R.K Nair, who had closely monitored and supervised the mission’s planning and execution, was circuiting overhead in another AN-32 to assist in case of any emergency and also to maintain radio link with base. There were no navigational aids to guide in the AN-32. Engines were kept running during the 15-minute halt because the auxiliary power units that help start the engines would not work at that altitude. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lieut-Gen P.C Bhardwaj was among those waiting to greet the aircrew and its lone brass-hat passenger. During the take-off from the DBO, which also had General Bhardwaj onboard alongside Air Marshal Barbora, the lay of the land afforded more distance ahead than the approach run had, but the aircrew did not have the luxury of building up speed. Flaps settings and adjustments and the timing of lifting the undercarriage had to be precise. “There was a time constraint for every thing. So many actions had to be executed in so less time,” Group Captain Chafekar remarked. Compared with the DBO, the landing at Fukche on November 4, 2008, was relatively easy as it has a straight approach. The airstrip has hills only on one side, though it is much closer to the Chinese-held territory. Located at an altitude of about 13,000 feet in south-eastern Ladakh, it lies just 2.5 km from the LAC. The first landing at Nyoma in September this year, replicated the challenges of the DBO landing. Though located at a relatively safe distance of about 25 km from the LAC, it is surrounded by high mountains. “When we were touching down at Nyoma, the aircraft “floated” and initially refused to sit on the ground. Those few apprehensive seconds seemed to last a lifetime,” Wg Cdr R Vijendran, co-pilot of the maiden sortie said. “On successful touch down, it was pure euphoria, but it was shortlived as the next set of activities — braking, turning, parking, monitoring the engine performance, running checks before take-off — automatically clicks in,” he added. Real exhilaration came when the crew returned home. During hostilities
in 1962, the squadron operated in the Eastern Sector, airlifting
troops and military hardware, besides evacuating civilians from
forward locations. In 1965, it was actively engaged in
airlifting of troops and armament in both Western and Eastern
sectors and was also employed for the movement of fighter
squadrons and their associated equipment to their operational
locations. The Camels played
a major role In the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The squadron carried arms
and ammunition to Agartala, evacuated displaced civilians and
airlifted battle casualties. The highlight of 1971 operations
was supply-dropping missions to support advancing troops in West
Pakistan in the Naya Chor area. On December 11, 1971, the Camels
took part in the first ever airborne assault operation by the
Indian Army. The then CO, Wg Cdr R.J. Ambegaonkar lead a
six-aircraft formation during the famous Tangail paradrop. In 1985 at
Allahabad, the squadron was re-equipped with the Russian built
AN-32 tactical aircraft for high altitude operations and the
following year it moved to its present location, Chandigarh.
Since then, it has been the lifeline for all air maintenance
activities in Jammu and Kashmir, carrying out supply drops in
the Siachen sector and landing at high altitude forward bases
Leh, Thoise, DBO, Fuckhe and Nyoma, in the harsh conditions and
inhospitable terrain, often beyond the aircraft maneuvering
envelope. In July 1987
during Operation Pawan, the first aircraft to land in Jaffna and
Colombo with the Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) was from 48
Squadron and they continued to operate in war-torn Sri Lanka
till the operation was over. The first night
landing at Leh by an AN-32 Aircraft was successfully carried out
by the Squadron aircrew led by Commanding officer Gp Capt PC
Chopra on 12 July 1995. As part of
Operation Safed Sagar during the Kargil conflict, the squadron
conducted extensive transport support operations for the troops.
During Operation Parakram in 2001, the Camels were pressed into
action to move numerous fighter squadrons to their operational
locations, besides carrying out regular air maintenance
operations. The Camels have
also undertaken extensive relief operations in aid of civil
authorities during natural calamities. In 2007, it was awarded
the Standards by the then President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, in
recognition of the services rendered to the nation.
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As
the Squadron based at Chandigarh, popularly called Camels, celebrates
its Golden Jubilee in November, it would be looking back at 50 years
of relentless flying across the Himalayas and elsewhere, building up
the nation’s defences and bringing in succor in times of need.
Flying into uncharted territory and activating three strategically
important ALGs in Jammu and Kashmir over the past year-and-a-half has
added another feather to this squadron’s cap.
Formed
on November 19, 1959, at Barrackpore with Gp Capt S.S Jaspal as
its first Commanding Officer, the Camels were initially equipped
with six Dakotas, then the workhorse of the IAF. Soon after,
came the induction of US-made Fairchild C-119 Packets.
