Sky One

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Sky One Airways makes strong foothold
Arunachalee Obi justifies again ham kisise kum
nehi
www.skyone.aero
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Introduction
Obi Dabi, the only child of Roing-based Ganesh
Dabi and Juli Langkham, had joined Jet Airways
to satisfy her urge to fly high and justify the
common adage ham kisise kum nehi. After
completing her schooling and graduating in Arts
from Guwahati, she was successful in her first
walk-in interview and joined Jet Airways in New
Delhi as a crew to serve for a year before
deciding to return home and Delhi-based Sky One
Airways Pvt Ltd (SOAPL) operating its three
MI-172 helicopters in Arunachal Pradesh was the
only option. I was lucky to be selected by
SOAPL and went for three months tough training
when we were taught aviation security, first
aid, dangerous goods, drills and crew resource
management before I joined here on February 8
last, she told in an exclusive interview in
helicopter hanger here on Friday.
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Speaking about her future, she smilingly said I
want to fly much higher and if possible lead
SOAPL as sky is the limit for my ambition. When
asked as to how Arunachal could benefit from her
service, she made a fervent plea to people of
rest of India to fly with them to explore the
enchanting beauty of nature trove Arunachal
Pradesh. One would realize this only by
observing while flying by a copter, she said
with conviction. The chopper to Guwahati left
around 10.30 am after the inclement weather
became clear and chief pilot officer Capt A K
Chaudhury nodded to fly. SOAPL station manager
Santosh Tiwari, who introduced her to this
editor, while listening her keenly quipped That
was why you were selected by SOAPL as you are
daughter of the soil. He indicated towards Michi
Ampi of Ziro, who has also been serving as
operation assistant since 2016.
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Moreover, senior crew member Vijay Singh of
Kolkata, who was qualified in a walk-in
interview after completing graduation in
commerce to join Jet Airways in 2005 and served
till 2013, termed the service very satisfactory.
He joined SOAPL in 2014 with vast experience of
working in Airbus-330 300 series, Boeing-737,
700,777, 800, 900 900ER, ATR72 and MI-172
helicopter. In fact, Tewari is a veteran in the
helipad here as he had landed in the state in
2005 to serve for a year with Pawan Hans,
switched over to Jagson in 2006 and got impressed
to join the SOAPL in 2011. He is preferred by
any helicopter operator in the state due to his
in-depth knowledge on the air routes and other
related matters of aviation service in this
hilly state.
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The SOAPL has a strong foothold in this
land-locked hilly state now by operating MI-172
helicopter, equipped with 2 TV3-117VM engines,
is one of the most popular MI helicopters in the
world because of its versatility, multi- mission
capability, high performance and endurance.
State-owned Southern Vietnam operator VNH South
has been efficiently operating this chopper for
ONGC VIP transportation in India. The SOAPL
operates only Mi-172 helicopters, a civil
passenger version manufactured in Kazan plant in
Russia based on the Mi-8MTV-3 technology. Thus,
two of its three copters were sent to Vietnam
for maintenance in mid-2019 and returned only in
January 17 last. The state Govt had inked a MoU
with GoAP in October 2016 under UDAN scheme for
inter and intra- state helicopter services when
Sirohi was its.
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When Tirap DC Kamlsh Josi died in a Pawan Hans
chopper crash on 11.08.15, on my request the
then SOAPL head of operations Deepraj Sirohi had
offered free lifting service on
Naharlagun-Khonsa-Guwahati- Naharlagun route to
airlift the mortal remains to Guwahati.
Coincidently, then CM Nabam Tuki, myself and
Tewari had boarded the chopper flown by Sirohi,
at Naharlagun, Tiwari recalled, adding he had
written the letter to management. This reminds
me of the tragic story behind introduction of
SOAPL.
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Thank You
info_at_skyone.aero
www.skyone.aero
971 6557 9577