Arif Ateş, the test pilot of GÖKBEY, which was produced to meet Turkey’s helicopter needs in many areas, made special statements to the İhlas News Agency (İHA) reporter within the scope of April 26 World Pilots Day. Explaining the details of helicopter piloting, Bayram said that flying in a helicopter is more enjoyable than in an airplane.
“We found that it was a very good platform in accordance with the design”
Test pilot Arif Ateş, who works as Rotary Wing Flight Test and Training Manager at TAI, stated that GÖKBEY made its first flight on September 6, 2018 and said, “The first flights of aircraft all over the world are very important, very critical. Because does the designed and produced aircraft fly, can it fly, or can it not fly as it was designed and produced in real environmental conditions? We are testing this. “It was very exciting and very successful, we found it to be a very good platform as expected and in line with the design,” he said.
“We will start deliveries soon”
Stating that tests were carried out on the simulator before the first flight, GÖKBEY’s Test Pilot Arif Ateş said, “With our 4 helicopters in various regions; We carried out tests in Adana, Erzurum, Kocaeli and here at TAI. We have completed the most critical tests. We have flown over a thousand hours so far. “With any luck, we will start deliveries soon, first to the Gendarmerie General Command,” he said.
“My dream was to be a helicopter pilot”
Explaining how he started helicopter piloting, GÖKBEY test pilot Arif Ateş said, “My dream was to be a helicopter pilot. Although when pilot and aircraft are mentioned, airplanes come to mind, but when I started my first year at the Army Aviation School after graduating from the Military Academy in 1991, the distinction between airplanes and helicopters, which is normally made by lottery, was made optional at that time, and I chose the helicopter. It was in line with this wish and my desire that I finished the course first. Therefore, my love for helicopters has brought me to this point,” he said.
“Helicopter is very different from airplane, it gives you much more pleasure”
Ateş continued his speech as follows:
“So the helicopter is very different from the plane, it gives you much more pleasure. You fly low, you fly according to the elevations of the terrain. It has its own different techniques. Since I have served in the armed forces for many years, both our utility helicopters and our attack helicopters are still the most important elements of our armed forces. Airplanes fly at relatively much higher altitudes. While the primary mission of aircraft is to engage enemy aircraft, threats or other distant targets, helicopters are used to provide support to ground troops much closer to them. Therefore, since we operate together with our ground elements, we carry out our duties in a more cooperative manner with them.”
“I celebrate World Pilots Day”
Congratulating all pilots on World Pilots’ Day, Arif Ateş said, “April 26 is World Pilots’ Day. In this context, first of all, our pilots who perform their national duties in the Armed Forces, both helicopter and aircraft pilots, as well as our pilots who fly in the civilian community, whether private flying or commercially at Airline. “I congratulate World Pilots Day to all pilots who work in the air in transportation, cargo and many other fields,” he said.
