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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Almost 40 years ago, Argentina and Great Britain's long dispute over the <keyword id="11894874" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="falkland-islands" source="Orion">Falkland Islands</keyword> escalated.</li><li>The Argentines invaded the South Atlantic islands and the British counterattacked.</li><li>At the core of the British campaign were special-operations troops, who launched one of the largest SAS operations since World War II.</li></ul>Almost 40 years ago, Argentina and Great Britain went to war for a small patch of land in the South Atlantic.Their long dispute over the Falkland Islands escalated in 1982, when the Argentines invaded and the British counterattacked.At the core of the British campaign were special-operations troops: the <keyword id="11894872" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="special-air-service" source="Orion">Special Air Service</keyword> (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS).During the opening stages of the British effort, the SAS were called in to take out an Argentine airbase that posed a threat to the Royal Navy. Their mission would become one of the largest SAS operations since the end of World War II.<h2><keyword id="11894876" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pebble-island" source="Orion">Pebble Island</keyword></h2><div type="image" title="Pebble Island in the Falkland Islands" height="1014" width="1532" msid="85457608" hostid="261"></div>Less than 10 miles long, Pebble Island was located just north of West Falkland, the second-largest of the Falkland Islands.Pebble Island had a small civilian settlement with its own airstrip. When the Argentines invaded, they discerned the strategic value of the location and quickly went to work upgrading the small airstrip to a potent airbase and early-warning facility.The Argentine Air Force relocated several aircraft there and built a radar station while planning to deploy hundreds of troops to protect what was becoming a major airbase.The Pebble Island airbase housed several Argentine Pucara ground-attack aircraft and modified T-34 Turbo Mento aircraft that could damage or sink the cumbersome and slow British amphibious landing ships.The Argentine Air Force fielded a hodgepodge fleet, including US-made A-4 Skyhawks, French-made Super Etendards and Mirage IIIs, Israeli-made Daggers, and UK-made English Electric Canberras. It was a fearsome and valiant opponent that came very close on its own to winning the conflict for Argentina.The closeness of the small civilian settlement to the airbase precluded an air attack, so British commanders turned to their special-operations troops.Although the main British armada was still far away, British special-operations forces had been operating in the Falklands for weeks, conducting reconnaissance operations to prepare the incoming force.<h2>In and out</h2><div type="image" title="British commands on HMS Hermes during Falklands War" height="1332" width="2000" msid="85457609" hostid="261"></div>On the night of May 11, a special-operations Sea King helicopter from the 846 Squadron, the pilots of which had just begun using night-vision goggles, inserted an eight-man team from D Squadron's boat troop at Keppel Island, a smaller island just across a sound from Pebble Island.The SAS team was there to find the location and number of Argentine aircraft and their defenses. Their reports would inform their colleagues who were gearing up to assault the airbase.The SAS reconnaissance team crossed the sound's freezing waters with Klepper canoes. Once ashore, six men found a hiding position while two commandos went forward and set up an observation post from which they could watch the airbase.The SAS men rotated shifts between the hiding place and the observation post for the next two days, avoiding Argentine patrols and sending back crucial intelligence.Meanwhile, the rest of D Squadron, about 45 men, was on standby to conduct the raid. When the reconnaissance was over, they would insert on Pebble Island, link up with the reconnaissance team, and proceed to the target.<div type="image" title="Argentina Air Force Skyhawk fighter jets" height="1239" width="2000" msid="85457611" hostid="261"></div>The SAS troopers were ready for anything. Besides their individual M-16 rifles, they carried LAW 66 anti-tank rockets, GPMG machine guns, high-explosive satchels, and even an 81 mm mortar.Each commando carried at least 80 pounds of gear, including 400 to 600 rounds of machine-gun ammunition and two mortar rounds that they would give to the fire-support elements just before the raid began.The assault force would take off from HMS Hermes, one of the two British aircraft carriers.Because of the danger posed by the Argentine Air Force and the value of Hermes to the British campaign, the ship couldn't operate close to the Falklands during daytime. So the SAS troopers had only a few hours to launch, destroy the airbase, and return to the ship before dawn.The recon team spotted 11 aircraft, which they believed to be real and not decoys, and radioed back. The mission was on.<h2>The raid on Pebble Island</h2><div type="image" title="British Royal Navy Falklands War" height="1282" width="2000" msid="85457613" hostid="261"></div>On the night of May 14, three Sea King helicopters inserted the assault force 5 miles from the airbase, where they linked up with the recon element. The mission started an hour late after one of the choppers had a malfunction just before takeoff.Time was running out, so the SAS troopers ran the 5 miles to the airbase. Some elements got lost on the way, but all were in their positions by 7 a.m. on May 15, when a nearby destroyer started bombarding the Argentine barracks.This was the signal for the attack, and the SAS got to work, planting explosives on the aircraft and destroying the radar and barracks.The raid was planned for 15 minutes, but it took 45. By the end, everything had been destroyed, including the 11 aircraft. Two members of the SAS assault force were lightly wounded before getting extracted.<div type="image" title="Argentina troops soldiers prisoners Falklands War" height="1265" width="2000" msid="85457614" hostid="261"></div>"The operation came at an opportune time. It served, so to speak, as a grand rehearsal before the landings that were scheduled to take place in a few days," a retired SAS officer told Insider."Hitherto, we had conducted mostly recces [reconnaissance operations] in South Georgia and the main [Falkland] islands," the retired officer said. "Pebble Island presented us with an opportunity to test our combat mettle. It was a basic but brilliant operation worthy of the Regiment's annals."Only a few days after the raid, however, disaster struck. During a routine daylight cross-decking operations between ships, a Sea King helicopter crammed with SAS troopers from D and G Squadrons crashed into the ocean after a bird hit its engines.Eighteen commandos, some of whom had participated in the Pebble Island raid, were killed in what was the single worst loss of life for the SAS since the end of World War II.Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate.

The elite SAS went back to their World War II roots on a daring 1980s mission to protect the British fleet

<ul class="summary-list"><li>For 40 years, the <keyword id="10068527" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ah-6">AH-6</keyword> and <keyword id="2423591" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="mh-6">MH-6</keyword> Little Birds have earned legendary status in the special-operations community.</li><li>The helicopters have proven able to attack targets and transport commandos on all kinds of missions.</li><li>But the Army and the special-operations community will soon have decide if the <keyword id="1617118" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Little-Bird">Little Bird</keyword> has any life left.</li></ul>US <keyword id="452766" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Special-Operations-Command">Special Operations Command</keyword> is trying to decide what to do with the Little Bird, one of its oldest but most legendary special-operations helicopters.The <keyword id="1368931" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="160th-Special-Operations-Aviation-Regiment">160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment</keyword>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-armys-160-soar-night-stalkers-special-operations-pilots-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also known as the "Night Stalkers,"</a> uses two variants of the Little Bird: the AH-6, which is the attack/assault version, and the MH-6, which is the assault/transport version of the egg-shaped chopper.The AH-6 conducts precision close air support and assaults in support of US special-operations units. The MH-6, which is the unarmed version, transports commandos to target.Their main customers are Joint Special Operations Command's special missions units - the Army's Delta Force and the Navy's SEAL Team 6 - and the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment.<h2>An egg you don't want to mess with</h2><div type="image" title="Army AH-6 Little Bird helicopter" height="1333" width="2000" msid="84204751" hostid="261"></div>The AH-6 can carry several weapon systems, including the M134 Minigun, which can shoot 6,000 rounds a minute; a GAU-19 .50-caliber Gatling gun; 2.75-inch Hydra 70 rockets; and even Hellfire air-to-surface and Stinger air-to-air missiles.What makes the Little Bird extremely valuable is its small size and agility. In the hands of skilled pilots, the Little Bird can land almost anywhere or target almost anything with impunity.The assault/transport version can surgically insert and extract troops, provide a great aerial platform for snipers, and even carry motorcycles.The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/army-special-ops-aviation-unit-aircraft-2018-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Night Stalkers operate</a> about 50 Little Birds of both variants.<div type="image" title="MH-6M Little Bird helicopter Army Rangers" height="1224" width="1440" msid="84204756" hostid="261"></div>"It is an amazing <keyword id="46492" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="helicopter">helicopter</keyword>, highly maneuverable and fully aerobatic. That's cool for a helo. Flying the AH-6 is like driving a Ferrari - no other helo compares," retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Greg Coker told Insider.Coker, a Night Stalker pilot and author of "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Waits-Dark-Guns-Dont/dp/1636253229/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=&amp;sr=" target="_top">Death Waits in the Dark</a>," served for 30 years and completed 11 combat deployments."Both [AH-6 and MH-6] are small aircraft that can be rapidly transported using many different means. No other helicopter can do this. The AH-6 can make multiple attacks due to the maneuverability unlike the Apache, Cobra, or Hind," Coker said, referring to other US attack helicopters and their Russian counterpart, the Mi-24 Hind.The Little Bird sports a digital glass cockpit, which is night-vision compatible, that allows the pilots to monitor their critical displays without looking down.<h2>An uncertain future</h2><div type="image" title="Army 160th SOAR AH-6 Little Bird helicopter" height="1500" width="2000" msid="84204760" hostid="261"></div>Talks about retiring the venerable Little Bird are not new. In 2019, a SOCOM acquisition executive described plans to upgrade or retire the Little Birds by the mid-2020s.In the early 2000s, the Little Bird fleet went through a modernization under the Mission Enhanced Little Bird program, which upgraded the rotor, enlarged the doors, and improved the landing gear.Later this year, the Night Stalkers will receive the first Block III version of the Little Bird, which will come with a new airframe, better fuel efficiency, and more powerful rotor. These updates will reset the clock on the Little Bird's structural service life.But SOCOM is still debating whether to further upgrade the helicopter with a potential Block IV version or replace it altogether with a variant from the Army's Future Vertical Lift program, which seeks to upgrade all of the Army's light-, medium-, and heavy-lift choppers.The Army plans to award a contract for its next helicopters in late 2024. SOCOM may then take another year to decide between upgrading the Little Bird or pursuing a new chopper, <a href="https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/end-line-amh-6-little-bird" target="_top">according to Aviation Week</a>."I do not feel that there is an airframe that can replace the MD-530 series helicopters," Coker said, referring to the helicopters on which the AH-6 and MH-6 are based."We went through an upgrade in 2003, from the AH-6J to the AH-6M, adding a glass cockpit, four-blade tail rotor, and six-blade main rotor - the thing is a beast!" Coker added.<h2>A special-operations veteran</h2><div type="image" title="MH-6M Little Bird helicopter Army Rangers" height="712" width="950" msid="84204763" hostid="261"></div>The Little Bird is now an old platform with basic technology compared to other advanced aircraft in use, but it has been at the tip of the US special-operations spear for close to 40 years.With AH-6s providing cover, MH-6 choppers transported Delta Force operators and Rangers to target during <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-arm-used-tourist-maps-to-plan-invasion-of-grenada-2020-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the invasion of Grenada</a> in 1983.During the invasion of Panama in 1989, Night Stalkers in Little Birds <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/operation-acid-gambit-delta-force-rescues-cia-operative-in-panama-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">evacuated CIA operative Kurt Muse and his Delta Force rescuers</a> from Modelo Prison in Panama City.During the Battle of Mogadishu - also known as the "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-black-hawk-down-2019-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Hawk Down</a>" incident - Little Birds saw extensive action and had a key role in the survival of the beleaguered Delta Force operators and Rangers.In the early days of the war in Afghanistan, Night Stalkers flying the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/story-of-first-special-ops-mission-afghanistan-after-911-attacks-2020-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AH-6 conducted some impressive missions</a>, hunting Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters on their own, often expending all their choppers' ammunition and having to use their personal firearms, or even grenades lobbed from the cockpit, against the enemy.<div type="image" title="Unmanned Little Bird helicopter" height="1335" width="2000" msid="84204765" hostid="261"></div>In Iraq, the Little Bird was the go-to choice for direct-action raids in Iraqi cities because of its flexibility and maneuverability, allowing Night Stalkers to put operators virtually anywhere.During the Battle of Haditha Dam in 2003, AH-6s supporting a Delta Force and Ranger task force against vastly superior Iraqi forces <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-special-operators-held-off-iraqi-forces-at-haditha-dam-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">got their rotor blades shot off but kept on flying</a>."Our crew chiefs put 100-mile-an-hour tape on the blade and told us to fly it and watch it. And it worked. It's a tough aircraft," Coker said.Little Birds, specifically the MH-6, are regularly seen <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/army-night-stalkers-helicopters-buzzed-streets-of-los-angeles-2019-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">buzzing buildings in big American cities</a> during exercises, often causing confusion and even concern among civilians. But that training is key to maintaining the pilots' edge for counterterrorism and hostage-rescue missions.The aging Little Bird can seem outdated in the age of fifth-generation stealth fighters and unmanned aerial vehicles - a Little Bird variant has even been modified to fly as a UAV - but its effectiveness hasn't been diminished by its years, and it remains universally loved by its pilots and crews and by commandos on the ground.Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate.

The 'Ferrari' of US special-operations helicopters may soon be headed out of service

Credits:IANS <ul><li>BookMyShow is exclusively offering special train to the last concert of <keyword id="67389" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="U2">U2</keyword>’s Joshua Tree Tour 2019 in Mumbai.</li><li>Travel package for U2 India tour is available at BookMyShow for ₹500. </li><li>The Irish band U2 is performing for the first time in India </li></ul>Rock legends Bono, Larry, <keyword id="818639" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Adam-Clayton">Adam Clayton</keyword>, and The Edge ⁠— the Dubliners who have enchanted fans as the band U2 since 1976 are in Mumbai and the excitement is starting to peak ahead of their concert in the satellite city near India’s financial capital on Sunday. BookMyShow, the official ticketing partner of U2’s India concert, has announced <a href="https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/u2-the-joshua-tree-tour-2019-mumbai/ET00112212">a special train and a helicopter ride</a> for fans to U2’s concert at the <keyword id="117683" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="DY-Patil-stadium">DY Patil stadium</keyword> in Navi Mumbai. 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Credits:IANS The special train will start at Andheri in December 15 at 2.55pm. It will board passengers to the concert until Nerul station with limited stops in between at Mahim (3.10pm) and Kurla (3.20pm) for 30 seconds. People can buy the travel package for ₹500 at BookMyShow. There are dedicated bus services for the concert as well with pick-up and drop bus services from multiple areas in and around the city, directly to the venue. The Irish band is in India as part of The Joshua Tree tour, an album that was released in 1987 with iconic hits like ‘With or Without You’ and ‘Where the streets have no name’. 
 
 
 
 
 
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Credits:IANS Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman is likely to open the concert with Ahimsa — his collaborative single with U2. Rahman's performance will also feature his two daughters, according to a report. (With IANS) 
 
 
 
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There's a special chopper and a train to take fans to the U2 concert in Mumbai — and they will leave 'with or without you'

Amidst India’s ruling and opposition parties’ constant blame games on the topic of the <keyword id="1558702" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="VVIP-chopper-scam">VVIP chopper scam</keyword>, some interesting details have surfaced, regarding a scam of Rs 330 crore by <keyword id="1559132" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Christian-Michel">Christian Michel</keyword>, a British businessman. 
 Even though Michel was paid 44 million euros at that time by <keyword id="252971" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="AgustaWestland">AgustaWestland</keyword>, a large portion of this money is "completely disproportionate" to the work he did for the company, at least this is how Italy’s Milan Court of Appeals has described Mithcel, who is sought by Indian investigators for his involvement in the case, so much so that it was on India's request that Interpol had issued a red corner notice against Michel in December 2015. 
 Italian prosecutors have put ahead an argument that Michel, along with <keyword id="3339722" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Guido-Hashke">Guido Hashke</keyword>, a Swiss-Italian national, influenced Indian officials to pick Agusta's choppers. They have also alleged him to be a key player in the VVIP chopper deal. 
 
As per the Milan court, Michel was paid over 44 million euros by AgustaWestland for various contracts, including a deal to supply spare parts for Indian naval helicopters and a post-contract service deal for the VVIP chopper contract. 
 
In the judgement, the court said that the description of his work for the contracts was "completely disproportionate to the large amount of fees paid to him". 
 
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efy6oDPQuR8/USB6-Qh1ilI/AAAAAAAAAwc/22mJsrFapaM/s1600/Agusta+Westland+Chopper+SCAM03.jpg">Image source</a>

The Italian court wants to know why Christian Michel was paid 44 million Euros in the VVIP chopper scam

The <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF) has proposed to acquire more medium lift <keyword id="6503054" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="choppers">choppers</keyword> from <keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword> at the estimated cost of $1.1 billion (Rs 6,980 crore), offering a vital addition to its transport fleet, reported the Economic Times. However, the hardy <keyword id="1994915" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mi-17-V5">Mi 17 V5</keyword> will continue to rule the Indian skies as 48 of the choppers are likely to be procured under a repeat order. The new choppers, which will serve in terrains ranging from the desert to high-altitude locations along the China and Pakistan border, will be added to the IAF fleet of <keyword id="2959450" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="139-Mi-17-V5s">139 Mi 17 V5s</keyword> that form the backbone of the IAF transport operations. 

	According to sources, the IAF recently moved the plan that includes maintenance facilities for choppers as well as an offset obligation of 30%. The operationally proven choppers are much-needed replacements for the older Mi 8 transporters that have reached the end of their service life. 
	 
	(Image: Indiatimes)

IAF proposes to acquire 48 Mi 17 choppers from Russia

Moving an inch forward in ‘<keyword id="6354869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="make-in-India">Make in India</keyword>’ initiative in defence production, Gurgaon-based <keyword id="340571" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sun-Group">Sun Group</keyword> may partner with Russia to make light helicopters. 
 
If everything goes as planned, 200 Kamov Ka 226 light helicopters may replace the ageing Cheetah fleet, which services one of the world’s highest military deployments on the Siachen glacier. 
 
Economic Times reported that work on the Russian deal, by nomination, had begun after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit last year in December and assurances were exchanged at the highest levels to look into this project. 
 The facility may come up in Goa as a feasibility study was conducted to set up a chopper line in the coastal soon after <keyword id="6363133" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Manohar-Parrikar">Manohar Parrikar</keyword>, former Goa CM, took over as defence minister. 
 
If the deal works out, it would be the second major defence project for the state. Parrikar had already announced that the Goa Shipyard was nominated to construct 12 minesweepers for the Indian Navy in a contract that is expected to cost over $1 billion. 
 The financial daily stated that while <keyword id="2852683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="russian-helicopters">Russian Helicopters</keyword> (RH) is in talks with a handful of possible Indian partners, the lead contender happens to be the Gurgaon-based Sun Group. 
 
As per insiders, the group may get a significant share of the deal, which might cross a whooping amount of $700 million. RH is likely to produce at least 200 choppers in India. 
 However, the company is also planning to involve <keyword id="86569" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hindustan-Aeronautics-Limited">Hindustan Aeronautics Limited</keyword> (HAL), and partnerships with other private firms are not ruled out. 
 
Vice-Chairman and founder of Sun Group Shiv Vikram Khemka has been a non-executive director on the board of RH since 2011 and has already set up a helicopter division. He is likely to be involved in the ‘Make in India’ project. 
 
While the Sun Group did not respond to a detailed questionnaire sent by ET, company officials said things were at a preliminary stage and it was too early to comment. 
 
But according to sources, Sun Group was also an offset partner for RH in a previous competition to supply light choppers to the army, a process which was cancelled by the government last year. 
 
Defence ministry officials, on the condition of anonymity, told ET that the RH deal had effectively killed any other light helicopter project for the armed forces, including a process that was initiated earlier this year for an Indian-led JV to manufacture a new range of choppers. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Now Russia will ‘Make in India’ 200 military helicopters

It's raining cats and dogs in Chennai. Three days on, schools remain shut, train and air services halted, telephone connectivity majorly hit as one of the worst rain havocs has left Chennai submerged bringing it to a complete standstill. IAF, Air Force, NDRF, Coast Guard are all on the ground here braving the most horrifying torrential <keyword id="13672" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rains">rains</keyword> the city has seen in the last 10 years, to steer people out of danger, yet thousands of residents lay trapped in their homes without essentials like food and water to survive. 
 
Chennai Corporation which had claimed to be ready to face such a situation after MeT’s pre warning in Sept, tried to clear water in over 300 localities all across the city, but it hardly helped. Following an increase in water levels, the civic body rescued 1,900 people on Sunday, housing them in shelters in safer locations. Food packets for residents were supplied through 81 Amma Canteens, seven community kitchens and five community halls, however, all of them have been hit hard by floods forcing them to stop the supply. 
 
With life coming to a grinding halt, the death toll rising, people carrying their essentials and walking in neck-deep water all on their own in remote areas to reach safer locations, and the agencies finding it difficult to contain the damage from floods, this is the worst Chennai has seen in a long time. It recorded 246.5 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours which breaks the record of November 2005 of 142.4 mm. 
 The heavy downpour is giving the disaster relief teams a very tough time in carrying out <keyword id="6388465" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rescue-operations">rescue operations</keyword>. Only “22 people, including 12 infants, were airlifted by the IAF from affected areas yesterday because due to constant rains, only six sorties were carried out," an IAF statement said. This is not to say that ample efforts are not being made. Air Force choppers are being used to air-drop food and drinking water in worst-hit areas. The army is using boats to rescue stranded people in many flooded areas. Even <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> is using boats to ferry people from submerged areas to safe locations. National Disaster Response Force teams are extending help to state officials in evacuations. People are also being evacuated from Kotturpuram in central Chennai as release of water from the Sembarambakkam reservoir is expected to cause more flooding in the area. But despite a pre alarm and on ground operations, 71 people have already died and several remain trapped. 
 
Notably, unlike the north-east monsoons in the previous years, what makes this year’s rains different is that it was neither a depression nor a cyclone, but a low pressure that played havoc with people’s lives. This low pressure system formed near Sri Lanka right over the Bay of Bengal crossed near the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast resulting in heavy rain and consequent flood in many parts of the state. Cuddalore and Tambaram districts are the worst hit, where many streets are completely submerged and nearly 2000 residents are trapped in their homes. 
 
Meanwhile, even as the heavy downpour has eased a bit and is now showing signs of receding, the horror is not over yet. The MeT has warned of heavy to very rainfall in Tiruvallur districts even as moderate rains are expected to continue for another three days in other areas. It means the death toll is likely to rise further as the killer rains now head towards Andhra Pradesh. 
 
(Image credit: Indiatimes)

As IAF choppers airlift stranded people, here’s why Chennai will never forget its worst rain havoc in the last 10 years

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Aly Weisman/Business InsiderAn Uber helicopter in New York City.</div></div></div>Uber is planning to fly people around a festival in Airbus helicopters, the <a href="http://www.wsj.com/article_email/airbus-to-join-forces-with-uber-for-on-demand-helicopter-service-ceo-says-1453048668-lMyQjAxMTI2MTExNzUxODc5Wj" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal reports</a>.Airbus chief executive Tom Enders told the newspaper that Uber is going to trial the European aerospace giant's choppers at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, USA, this week."Its a pilot project, we'll see where it goes - but it's pretty exciting," said Enders in an interview with the Journal at the <a href="http://dld-conference.com/" target="_blank">Digital Life Design</a> conference in Munich.Uber confirmed to Business Insider that it is working with Airbus, adding that it wants to make it easier for people to get around Sundance.An Airbus spokesperson said that Uber is using the Airbus H125 and H130 helicopters for the Sundance project, adding that Uber has partnered with Air Resources, a Utah-based operator of H125 helicopters, in order to deliver the service.Uber's helicopter customers will be picked up in a car first and driven to their take off point, according to the Journal.Uber started life as a taxi-hailing app in San Francisco but it has expanded its services to rickshaws in India and boats in Turkey, amongst other services. In 2013, Uber first tested its "UberChopper" service in New York between Manhattan and the Hamptons. It has also offered helicopter flights at Cannes Film Festival in France and <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/uber-bonnaroo-helicopter-2015-6" target="_blank">Bonnaroo Arts Festival</a> in Nashville, USA, where it <a href="https://newsroom.uber.com/nashville/roochopper15/" target="_blank">teamed up with local helicopter company Helistar Aviation</a>.Prices for the UberChopper service have previously ranged from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.The financial details of the agreement between Uber and Airbus have not been disclosed. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-unique-hidden-sub-categories-code-tearjerkers-stand-up-comedy-2016-1">How to find Netflix's secret categories</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="VlZjM2MDE6YhzeEmGWLIfJXnPkAikBM-" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Uber is going to use Airbus helicopters for its on-demand sky-taxi service

An <keyword id="19992067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force" source="keywords">Indian Air Force</keyword> soldier who was injured in a <keyword id="19899445" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="terrorist-attack" source="keywords">terrorist attack</keyword> in the <keyword id="19905509" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Poonch" source="keywords">Poonch</keyword> sector in <keyword id="19900657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jammu-and-Kashmir" source="keywords">Jammu and Kashmir</keyword> on Saturday has unfortunately passed away, confirmed the Indian Air Force. "An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by militants in the Poonch district of J&amp;K, near Shahsitar. Cordon and search operations are underway presently in the area by local military units. The convoy has been secured, and further investigation is under progress," tweeted the <keyword id="19900590" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iaf" source="keywords">IAF</keyword> Media Co-ordination Centre on X. The injured personnel were evacuated to Udhampur for treatment on IAF choppers, where one of them succumbed. Another soldier is reported to be in critical condition, as confirmed by security force officials. "In the ensuing gunfight with terrorists, the Air Warriors fought back by returning fire. In the process, five IAF personnel received bullet injuries, and were evacuated to the nearest military hospital for immediate medical attention. One Air Warrior succumbed to his injuries later. Further operations are on by the local security forces," said the IAF. The soldier who succumbed was undergoing treatment at the command hospital at Udhampur. The remaining three are stable as per the Security Force officials, reported ANI. Following the attack that occurred in the evening around Shah Sitar and Shashidhar areas in the Poonch sector. Security forces initiated a search and cordon operation, as stated by security forces' officials. In response to the attack, forces have increased patrolling and vehicle checks in the area. The convoy was en route to the Sanai Top in the Surankote area of the district. The terrorists are suspected to be belonging to the same group that ambushed Indian troops in the Bufliaz area nearby on December 21, as per the Times of India report. The December attack last year had killed four soldiers and injured three. Earlier, in November 2023, a prolonged gunfight between Indian Army and the terrorists responsible for frequent attack on civilians in the region has resulted in deaths of five army personnel, including two captains. The Poonch sector belongs to the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency which will vote for the Lok Sabha elections on May 25. Congress leaders Malikarjun Kharge and <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> extended condolences over the death of IAF personnel. Condemning the attack by terrorists, Rahul Gandhi in a post on X, wrote, "The cowardly terrorist attack on our Army convoy in Poonch of Jammu and Kashmir is extremely shameful and sad," Rahul Gandhi said. Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP <keyword id="21530697" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shesh-paul-vaid" source="keywords">Shesh Paul Vaid</keyword> slammed Pakistan after the attack, hinting that the neighbouring country will not tolerate seeing people of Jammu and Kashmir exercising their democratic right. "It is not surprising, because the election tempo was building up in this area," said Shesh Paul Vaid in a video message posted on his official social media platform, X. Retired Major General GD Bakshi told ANI, "From the last two-three years, we have seen that the Inter-Services Intelligence and Army of Pakistan is again reviving terrorism in the Rajouri-Poonch area. They are trying to infiltrate. Troops are alert. We have to hit across the border like the Balakot airstrike". (With inputs from agencies)

Poonch Terrorist Attack: One Indian Air Force soldier dies, five injured; Patrolling intensifies across J&K

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This man says he running late for his flight to London, so he took a helicopter to get to JFK.</li><li>Kevin Droniak said in a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kevindroniak/video/7268696492691442987?_r=1&amp;_t=8f44fn6tKWg">TikTok post</a> that riding the chopper was "cheaper than buying a new flight."</li></ul>One New York man says he was running late for his flight to London, so he took a chopper to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-see-inside-jfk-airports-new-world-class-international-terminal-2022-2">John. F. Kennedy Airport.</a>Traveler Kevin Droniak shared his experience in a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kevindroniak/video/7268696492691442987?_r=1&amp;_t=8f44fn6tKWg">TikTok post he made on August 18</a>."My flight takes off in one hour and I'm still at my apartment in Manhattan," Droniak said in his video. "I'm not used to military time and I read 1820 as 1020. But it's actually 06:20 and right now it's 5 o'clock," Droniak added. "The only way for me to get there in time is by a helicopter."Droniak included in a video a screenshot of his flight details. His trip on Norse Atlantic Airways flight Z0 702 was scheduled to leave New York at 6.20 p.m.Droniak then filmed himself heading to the helipad to catch his chopper. "This is hilarious too because today I was like, I'm gonna be frugal and take the subway to JFK and save some money and now I'm taking a goddamn helicopter," Droniak said. "But it is cheaper than buying a new flight." Droniak then filmed himself boarding a chopper from <a href="https://newyorkhelicopter.com/charters">New York Helicopter</a>, a business that provides tours, chartering services, and airport transfers to customers. Other companies provide similar services, such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blade-continuous-helicopter-flight-review-nyc-jfk-airport-photos-2019-7">Blade</a>, which <a href="https://www.blade.com/airport">charges $195 to fly from Manhattan and JFK</a> in five minutes.In heavy traffic, getting to JFK by car can take an hour. "I made it to the airport. It was only a 5-minute flight," Droniak said near the end of his video. Droniak said in the video, that when he arrived, there were still 30 minutes before the boarding gates closed. And Droniak might not have been kidding when he said the helicopter ride saved him some money. Norse Atlantic Airways is a budget airline, but a one-way ticket from New York to London costs between $300 to $400, per the carrier's <a href="https://flynorse.com/en-US/book/flights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>The chopper ride might have been the most luxe part of Droniak's journey across the pond to London. In a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kevindroniak/video/7269048463558544686?_r=1&amp;_t=8f4JK2lICPZ">subsequent TikTok post on August 19</a>, Droniak said his flight to London's Gatwick Airport "was so budget" that his "window seat didn't even have a window." Droniak did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours.

This guy says he ended up taking a helicopter to JFK because he was running late for a budget airline flight to London

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Three people were killed when two helicopters battling a California blaze collided on Sunday. </li><li>The tragedy unfolded when crews were dispatched to a brush fire in Riverside County. </li></ul>Two firefighters and a pilot were killed when the helicopter they were using to battle a southern California brush fire collided mid-air with another chopper that was also involved in efforts to put out the blaze, officials said. The tragedy unfolded Sunday at around 6 p.m. as crews were dispatched to a fire that erupted in the Riverside County community of Cabazon. "While engaged in the firefight, two helicopters collided," David Fulcher, a southern region chief for California's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), told reporters during a press conference. One helicopter managed to land "safely" nearby, but all three people aboard the other chopper — a Cal Fire division chief, a Cal Fire captain, and a pilot contracted by the department — were killed, according to Fulcher. The crash sparked an additional four-acre fire, which was later extinguished. "This was a tragic loss for the community, the fire service community and Cal Fire, and Riverside County Fire Department," Fulcher said. It was not immediately clear what caused the two choppers to collide. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident. Fulcher added that he was "thankful" that the disaster "wasn't worse.""The individuals in the first helicopter were able to land safely without incident, and no one else was hurt," he said. The chief described the victims, whose identities were not immediately released, as "three great individuals" and "three fathers, three husbands, three friends, three sons."Fire crews were responding to a fire that originated in a structure and quickly spread into the surrounding vegetation at the time of the collision. Both helicopters involved in the collision were "under exclusive agreement" with Cal Fire, Fulcher said.

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