[Goanet] Navy vs AAI (at Dabolim)

[Philip Thomas]

<They are excuses, my friend, to continue to stay in "loverly Goa". I had 
made similar observations a couple of years ago to an arrogant ex-Navy 
Goa-netter, who stated some bulldust that Goa had a unique position to 
monitor space..[Gabriel de Figueiredo] I too recall hearing something from 
the same guy about how flight training requires confidence building etc, 
mate. I thought then of how some of us first learn to drive a car in an open 
field or playground before getting on to a road with traffic.  But that open 
field bit doesnt last for more than a session or two, right?  And after all 
that, half the V/STOL fleet of Sea Harriers based in Goa has crashed in 
20-25 years. Maybe because maintenenance and overhaul is elsewhere, i.e. at 
Kochi. And that 4K metre runway at Arrakonam is for helicopter training for 
heaven's sake! IAF has its own helicopter training base at Yelehanka which 
is giving the new Bangalore airport developers sleepless nights. What does 
the Navy need the jumbo jet runway at Dabolim for? As you suggest, maybe an 
Indian shuttle landing at a future date? Ha! Cheers.