Click to play videoYelahanka Airbase (Bangalore): In an age of use and throw the Bell-47 helicopter is one machine which bucks the trend.
The Bell-47 comes from the helicopter world's first family and was the first chopper to be certified for civil aviation and it's a tribute to Indian ingeniousness that this 50-year-old machine still flies tirelessly, making it the oldest flying helicopter in India.
It's Mumbai-based owner even uses it for spraying agricultural pesticides. The longevity has been facilitated by some dogged product support.
Says Bell Vice-President, Bob Fitzpatrick, "It's our philosophy that you may own the aircraft, but we will support it."
But for a new navigational aid, this Bell-47 is still being flown in its original configuration. It costs about $300 an hour to operate and can do up to 140 miles in a sortie.
The Bell-47 gained iconic status as the 'Angel of Mercy' for what was perhaps the world's first heliborne evacuation of wounded US troops in Korea. It is this legacy which the manufacturers want to keep alive, something that Bob Fitzpatrick agrees with.
The last of the Bell-47s is being kept alive by some loving care. This whirly bird is 50 years old, and shows no signs of ageing.
Says Aeronautical Engineer Shrikant Kotnis, "I love it as my baby. I have been maintaining it since 1966."
This is without doubt a piece of aviation heritage and this ageless beauty, like diamonds, is forever.
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