Express News Service
Bangalore: A MiG-23 Trainer aborted take-off at Jodhpur air base on Wednesday. Sources told Express that the aircraft developed a serious snag, suspected to be lack of power. “The runway length fell short and the pilots abandoned the take-off at the last moment,” sources said.
The incident hit the schedules of private operators at the airport for a while, as the base also doubles up for commercial flights. “The incident happened at 11.30 am and the runway was shut till 2 am. It was MiG-23 (BU) aircraft. The exact cause is not known,” Lt Col S.D. Goswami, Defence Spokesperson, Jodhpur, told the Express over the phone.
While there are unconfirmed reports that the fighter that aborted the take-off was not a MiG-23 Trainer, Express couldn't independently verify the same. “It is MiG-23 and because it's a trainer there could have been some similarity to other aircraft,” Air Cmde R.N. Gaekwad, AOC, Air Force Station, Jodhpur, told Express.
India's frontline shelter-less fighters Sukhois too operate out of Jodhpur.
Copyright@The New Indian Express
