“We Need to Keep the Helicopter Flying”

Finland offered the helicopters at the informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers, held in Palma de Mallorca, February, 2010, in the framework of the Multinational Helicopter Initiative (MHI), free of charge, to support with this input the NATO forces in Afghanistan, the training of airmen participating in the ISAF operations.

The Mi-8s were taken over in the hangar of the HDF 86th Szolnok Helicopter Base by Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende. The handover/take-over ceremony was attended, among others, by Jari Vilén, the Ambassador of the Republic of Finland accredited to Budapest, General Dr. Tibor Benkő, the Chief of the MoD Defence Staff, Péter Siklósi, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence for Defence Policy and Defence Planning, Gábor Márki, the MoD Deputy State Secretary for Defence Economy and Lieutenant General József Kovács, the Commander of the Hungarian Defence Forces Joint Force Command (HDF JFC).

Mr. Marcus Rantala (see our picture), the State Secretary of the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Finland said that they offered the two helicopters – made in 1985, and having undergone a full-spectrum refurbishment -, after their withdrawal from service, for the training of the Air Advisory Team (AAT). In the area of operations (AOs) there is a heavy demand for helicopters, well-prepared pilots and technicians in Afghanistan.

Csaba Hende underlined that in Afghanistan the fastest and safest way in every direction leads through the air. Two Hungarian helicopter advisory teams work in the Asian country at present; they train pilots. We intend to contribute to the common goal, that the inhabitants of the much suffering country can take their fate into their own hand within a reasonable time.

Following the handover ceremony of the aircraft, Brigadier General Imre Lamos, the Commander of the 86th Szolnok Helicopter Base said, that as for the training of pilots they would like to exploit the nearly 2500 flight hours that the Mi-8s still have with the most possible efficiency.

Major General Zoltán Pintér, Air Force Chief, HDF JFC pointed out that the Hungarian technicians and helicopter pilots are unprepared yet for the operation of certain equipment fitted in the donated aircraft, so it is necessary to organize a training for them. Moreover, the helicopters should still be removed by the Finnish partners from their state register, and then the Hungarian National Transport Authority should register the two Mi-8s as state-owned vehicles.

Photo: László Tóth

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