PM Imran's helicopter trips cost 'much more' than being claimed: report

[Unlettered]

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, while speaking to a local television channel, defended the PTI chief’s use of the helicopter by saying that “the average cost is about Rs50-55 per km”.

According to BBC Urdu, the cost of the trip is in stark contrast to Chaudhry’s claim.

The distance between the former cricketer’s residence in Bani Gala and the PM Secretariat is 15 kilometres. In aviation terms, this comes down to 8 nautical miles. The government owns seven helicopters of the same kind, with two at the prime minister’s disposal. Rs16,000 is the amount spent on travelling one nautical mile.

According to a retired army aviation officer, “a helicopter whether or not it is operated, costs thousands of rupees at start off, so it would be childish to say otherwise. Such a claim can only be made due to lack of knowledge.”

Source:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1789927/1-pm-imrans-helicopter-trips-cost-way-much-claimed-report/

 

[Imran Siddiqi]

So If Imran Khan Stops using it on the weekend What would be the saving. ?????
You still own it and maintain it and staff for it regardless of if he uses it or not..

 

[Unlettered]

So If Imran Khan Stops using it on the weekend What would be the saving. ?????
You still own it and maintain it and staff for it regardless of if he uses it or not..

Thats not the point, the point is why lie?

 

[Hate_Nooras]

The irony of Nooras discussing the cost of helicopter journey when NS and family spent billions on his security and then his holidays abroad using poor tax payers money is galling.

 

[Muskerahat]

fu ck that media. what is wrong if PM of pakistan using it. sharm kro patwari media

 

[miafridi]

What's the name of the Retired Army Aviation Officer??? Without name its not a source at all..

 

[Cape Kahloon]

Imran Khan ka helicopter istamal kerna Pakistan ka sub sey serious problem ban geya ha jab Nawaz Shreef Islamabad oor Lahoor sey srif helicoptere per appnay leay Khanay Marie mungwata tha tub tu kesse kay paet main dard ne huta tha.

 

[Unlettered]

fu ck that media. what is wrong if PM of pakistan using it. sharm kro patwari media

All these trolls & speculations could have been avoided by a simple statement that this mode of transport is the best choice given the circumstances.

What's the name of the Retired Army Aviation Officer??? Without name its not a source at all..

I dont know but the story has been circulated throughout the media. Here is the original source:

https://www.bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-45331540

And couple of other links:

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2018/08/29/actual-cost-of-pm-khans-heli-trips/

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/3...licopter-under-prime-minister-imran-khans-use

 

[PTI-Zindabad]

Thats not the point, the point is why lie?

Rs 16,000 per aeronautical mile? Here in Canada you can get a helicopter and an instructor give you a 75 KM ride for an hour in less than $150 or Rs 14000 and that is with all wear and tear, labor, profit and maintenance built in. What world are you living in?

 

[Unlettered]

Rs 16,000 per aeronautical mile? Here in Canada you can get a helicopter and an instructor give you a 75 KM ride for an hour in less than $150 or Rs 14000 and that is with all wear and tear, labor, profit and maintenance built in. What world are you living in?

Whats that has to do with me living where?

 

[PTI-Zindabad]

Whats that has to do with me living where?

You provided a claim of Rs 16,000 per aeronautical mile, which belies reality. Since reality exists on this planet, I'm questioning which world are you pulling these numbers from. And don't tell me from that unsubstantiated report because I expect a certain amount of logic to be able to decipher from perhaps-probable to laughably-impossible.

 

[Unlettered]

You provided a claim of Rs 16,000 per aeronautical mile, which belies reality. Since reality exists on this planet, I'm questioning which world are you pulling these numbers from. And don't tell me from that unsubstantiated report because I expect a certain amount of logic to be able to decipher from perhaps-probable to laughably-impossible.

Dude, I am not claiming anything. I just posted a news with appropriate links, I don't know what is there to not understand.

 

[Will_Bite]

Thats not the point, the point is why lie?

He did not lie. He is guilty of relying on google.
Fact is, the figure he quoted was not wrong. It was just miguided. When a chopper is operated for a long time, say, an hour or two, its operating cost goes down, and averages to the figure given by Fawad Ch. But for a shorter trip, naturally, the cost will be high.

In any case, its not even an issue PTI should be defending.

 

[PTI-Zindabad]

Dude, I am not claiming anything. I just posted a news with appropriate links, I don't know what is there to not understand.

On first brush, does Rs 16,000 per aeronautical mile make sense to you? How hard would it have been to take it with a grain of salt and do some independent research online?

 

[Unlettered]

In any case, its not even an issue PTI should be defending.

Agreed, as stated earlier it could have been avoided by a simple statement that this mode of transport is the best choice given the circumstances.

 

[Citizen X]

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, while speaking to a local television channel, defended the PTI chief’s use of the helicopter by saying that “the average cost is about Rs50-55 per km”.

According to BBC Urdu, the cost of the trip is in stark contrast to Chaudhry’s claim.

The distance between the former cricketer’s residence in Bani Gala and the PM Secretariat is 15 kilometres. In aviation terms, this comes down to 8 nautical miles. The government owns seven helicopters of the same kind, with two at the prime minister’s disposal. Rs16,000 is the amount spent on travelling one nautical mile.

According to a retired army aviation officer, “a helicopter whether or not it is operated, costs thousands of rupees at start off, so it would be childish to say otherwise. Such a claim can only be made due to lack of knowledge.”


Source:

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1789927/1-pm-imrans-helicopter-trips-cost-way-much-claimed-report/

First of all and you can check on google maps the distance as the crow flies is 7 kms not 15, 14kms for a round trip. And when you are calculate your fuel usage for trip in your car, do you add ownership and maintenance costs for your car to those trips?

Aviation on a personal basis is expensive because of all the added taxes, airport fees, ground handling, logistics so on and so forth, actual fuel usage is not very expensive, specially on a small to medium sized helicopters. Which is what only the govt has to pay or consider in this case. As mentioned earlier the choppers are already there, whether being used or not.

Check out these people they flew around the world in a R44 and if you watch the entire series you will realise its not too expensive

Also these guys flew around the world in a small single prop plane, watch the whole series also to get an idea outside of buying the aircraft its not too expensive.

 

[Citizen X]

But for a shorter trip, naturally, the cost will be high.

Why ?

 

[sher_khan]

lol somebody tell these idiots that the cost regarding the purchase of choppers has already taken place.
the pilots are on a salary and will get paid either way, whether imran uses the choppers or not.
regular repairs and maintenance will also take place regardless.

only the INCREMENTAL costs should be taken into considerations. like the fuel which would have not been used if imran had not used the choppers.
also, any money saved in protocol should be netted against this cost.

BBC is giving annual per day cost for having the choppers.
annual cost has two components.
fixed costs (purchase price, pilot's salary, expected annual repairs, etc)
and
variable costs - eg. fuel
the fixed costs will remain unchanged, once the choppers are bought. regardless IK use the choppers or not. IK did not buy these choppers.
variable costs will change with each trip (depending on the fuel price) and are incremental in nature.

lol the bbc is interviewing a pilot for the cost. it should be interviewing an accountant.

if we already own a car, when we drive to the shopping mall to buy something, we don't care how much we bought our car for.
however, we usually go to the nearest mall possible to save the money on car-fuel and time.

 

[Unlettered]

On first brush, does Rs 16,000 per aeronautical mile make sense to you? How hard would it have been to take it with a grain of salt and do some independent research online?

You can direct the concerns to the tribune, why are you keep quoting me?

 

[sher_khan]

furthermore, the standard of the bbc urdu is pretty low to begin with. that's why pakistan related big news are never broken in urdu but bbc english.

also, for the pak media, regardless of all the false stories they break re the choppers...they will never get as many state sponsored ads as they did in the past 10 years.