 |
| The Russia's MiG 21 Plane Claimed To Be Unfit To Fly |
International Military - Currently, the MiG 21 from Russia is considered dangerous to use. The MiG 21 fighter, which is past its service life, can still be flown if it is deemed "worthy". This shows that years of wear and tear can still be reduced with aircraft having spare parts that can be repaired and replaced.
Quoted from the Eurasian Times, once unusable, aircraft were also removed, such as the MiG 21 Type 96 which was retired in 2019. Not the 'Bison'–or MiG 21 Bis–an upgraded variant of the MiG 21 that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman used against the Air Force. Pakistan (PAF).
At least six MiG 21s have crashed since January last year killing five pilots. In addition, of the 872 commissioned since the 1960s, about 400 have been lost to accidents from 1971-1972 killing more than 200 pilots and 50 civilians.
However, can the MiG 21 be repaired? Serviceable planes were also not spared even before the final crash. “The MiG 21 has a rare nose intake design, while the Hunter has intakes on the wings.
The delta wing configuration lends the aircraft different flight characteristics, the initial batch of pilots were not used to. This results in induced resistance at lower speeds.
In addition, the engine response at low speeds is also slower," added Air Chief Marshal PV Naik (Ret.). Of his 3,000 flight hours, Naik spent 2,000 hours on the MiG 21.
Read Also: Indian Air Force MiG-21 Accident, 2 Pilots Reportedly Died
Quoted from India Today, two pilots were killed when a MiG 21 fighter plane crashed in the Barmer district of Rajasthan. The wreckage of the plane was found strewn across a half kilometer stretch in the village of Bhimda in Barmer. The MiG 21 aircraft was involved in a surprise attack in the Baytu area when the crash occurred.
So far, the exact cause of the plane crash is unknown. Accordingly, the Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the crash. However, this incident proves that the MiG 21 may still be unfit for use today.