Pawan Hans Limited is a helicopter service company based in New Delhi, India. Pawan Hans is a Mini Ratna-I category PSU. It has cumulatively flown more than 1 million hours and has had 2.5 million landings on its fleet since its formation. The operations are based at the Juhu Aerodrome in Vile Parle, Mumbai. Other than providing helicopter services to ONGC to its off-shore locations, this public sector company is often engaged for providing services to various state governments in India, particularly in North-east India, Inter-island ferry services in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, for last 26 years service to Lakshdweep Administration in ferrying people from Islands to Kochi Intl airport and inter-island services. These are considered as backbone of Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands which are far flung from Indian shores extending up to 400–500 km into Arabian sea, Vaishno Devi Helicopter service for devotees. Service to BSF and Maharashtra Police for Medical and Logistics support in event of maoist attack on troops.
History
Pawan Hans was incorporated on 15 October 1985 as the Helicopter Corporation of India, the country's national helicopter company with the objective of providing helicopter support services to the oil sector for its off-shore exploration operations, services in remote areas and charter services for promotion of tourism. It is a government owned enterprise with 78.5% in government hands & 21.5% with ONGC. ONGC has upped its stake to 49% recently, a move that will see the equity base of PHL being enhanced to 245 crores from the existing 113 crores. The corporate office is located at Noida with regional offices at Delhi and Mumbai. The company has a net worth of 3,701.5 crores and paid up equity share capital is 245.61 crores. Pawan Hans is "Approved Maintenance Centre of Eurocopter" and also the first ISO 9001: 2000 certified aviation company in India. On 12 January 2017, the Government of India approved the privatization of Pawan Hans. It offers helicopter services for –
13 January 2018, helicopter with ONGC staff on board crashes in Mumbai, all bodies includes 5 ONGC officers and 2 pilots recovered. In 2011, PHHLs operations in the North Eastern States of India came under serious public criticism due to safety issues. After the crash that killed the Chief Minister of Arunachal PradeshDorjee Khandu and five others, it operations in the North East region were suspended and DGCA was asked to conduct safety audit of the company. The operations were resumed in January 2013. But yet another accident took place on 4 August 2015 killing 3 people on board, including an IAS officer.
On 22 September 2004, Meghalaya Community and Rural Development Minister Cyprian Sangma, two MLAs and a former Deputy Speaker were killed when a Pawan Hans helicopter A 365N crashed near Shillong.
On 6 August 2010, a Pawan Hans crew member fell to his death at Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh, while trying to close a door of that had flung open during a flight.
On 16 Dec 2010, a Pawan Hans Dauphin 365 N3 helicopter crashed at Chandigarh Airport, leaving the pilots injured.
On 19 April 2011, a Pawan Hans Mil Mi-17 on a flight from Guwahati to Tawang, crashed in a gorge and caught fire while trying to land near Tawang. Out of 23 people on board, 17 were killed.
On 29 April 2011, a Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter carrying Dorjee Khandu, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, and four other people, went missing. It was traced four days later near Lobthang. All five people were found dead.
On 4 August 2015, a Pawan Hans Dauphin N3 twin-engined aircraft carrying Tirap Deputy Commissioner Kamlesh Kumar Joshi, a 2010 batch IAS officer, and pilots M S Brar and Rajeev Hoskote crashed killing all its occupants.
On 4 November 2015 Pawan Hans Helicopter employed in offshore oil platform service crashed in to Arabian Sea off the coast of Mumbai. The Helicopter was on night flying practice when the incident happened and was occupied by two pilots only, no passenger were present. Both the pilots perished in the incident.
On 13 January 2018 Pawan Hans Helicopter crashed into Arabian Sea Off the coast of Mumbai while ferrying seven people including ONGC personnel. The bodies of the seven people, including 5 senior ONGC officer, debris from the aircraft was located.
