Canadians Fill Helicopter Shortgage

Beginning Nov. 17, Canadian soldiers stationed in Afghanistan began receiving helicopter transport assistance from an unconventional source: private helicopters flown by civilian pilots. Six Mi-8 troop transport helicopters, along with civilian crews to pilot them, are being contracted from Toronto-based Sky Link and deployed with Canadian troops to Afghanistan to move them from place to place. The helicopters are used to minimize the soldiers’ exposure to snipers and improvised explosive devices by airlifting them from their camps to their patrol areas. The contract was awarded as an interim solution while the military waits for six Chinooks to be delivered by the U.S. For related news