It is reported that the Sri Lanka Air Force has rejected the allegations made by several parties regarding the quality and condition of the PT-6 training aircraft they used for training after the recent accident at the Chinese port base.
So far 06 pilots have lost their lives due to the plane crash and Sri Lanka Freedom Party Secretary General and Member of Parliament lawyer Dayasiri Jayasekara questioned in Parliament yesterday (8) why the planes manufactured in 1958 are still being used for training purposes. The minister said that it is a pity to use such old airplanes for training and they should not be used for training and should be kept in museums.
He pointed out that the government is spending $55 million to repair the Kaffir fighter jets, while only $0.75 million has been spent on the PT-6 aircraft.
The minister further stated that these planes should be withdrawn from use, new planes should be used for training purposes, and the Air Force and the government should not endanger the lives of pilots in such an irresponsible manner.
According to reports, Air Force media spokesperson Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe denied the MP’s accusations and stated that the aircraft that was involved in the accident was not manufactured in the 1950s but in 2018, and all the aircraft used by the Air Force for training and other activities were manufactured after the year 2000. Of the 18 aircraft used by the Air Force, 10 aircraft were manufactured in 2001, two in 2009 and the rest in 2018.
Also, he has further mentioned that only five officers have died in the crash of two planes, and accordingly the statistics given by the MP are wrong.
