All ‘Huey’ helicopters ordered grounded

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered on Monday the grounding of all UH-1H “Huey” helicopters of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). “Our aim is to achieve zero accidents in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, especially in the Philippine Air Force where an accident almost always results in the death of an aircraft’s crew,” Lorenzana said. “In accordance with established protocols, the PAF’s entire fleet of Hueys has been grounded and all the units will be inspected,” he added. The order followed Saturday’s crash of the PAF’s UH-1H helicopter with tail number 517 in Bukidnon, which killed seven AFP personnel, including the pilot, crew and members of the 8th Infantry Battalion. —Jeannette I. Andrade