Fumes force Army to ground Tigers again

The Tiger ARH is back in the media spotlight. (Paul Sadler) — Army has once again grounded its Tiger fleet following a fume incident on June 25 while on training exercises in Shoalwater Bay. (Paul Sadler)

The Army’s fleet of 22 Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters have again been suspended from flying as a safety precaution following another cabin fume incident.

According to the Department of Defence, a two-man crew operating a Tiger in the Shoalwater Bay training area on June 25 landed the aircraft after detecting fumes in the cockpit. The helicopter landed safely without any injuries to the crew and no further damage to the aircraft.

Defence says that it is investigating the incident, which comes just over a month after it suspended all Tiger flights after a previous cabin fume incident. Following a technical assessment, the Tigers were cleared to resume flying on May 30.

The Army’s Tigers are expected to reach full operational capability later this year.