AAI to upgrade instrument landing system at airport

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 23

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is in the process to complete upgradation of the CAT-II instrument landing system (ILS) to CAT-III with an investment of Rs 14 crore at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport. With this improvement aircraft will be able to land at the airport even in midst of considerably reduced visibility.

It will enable the aircraft to land and take off even in 50 metre visibility. The airport is already equipped with ILS CAT-II system. At present, only Delhi airport has the CAT-III B technology in the entire Northern India. Many flights from Delhi airport were diverted to the local airport during dense fog experienced in the region recently.

Aware of the development, airport officials said the process for installation of advanced ILS CAT-III B was underway. They said during the last fog season Amritsar airport extended a smooth platform to all air operators as well as to passengers. Minimum delays and diversions occurred at the Amritsar airport, they added.

They said the airport was also declared as an “alternate diversion destination” for many flights bound to Delhi, which were handled smoothly and safely. “It indicates that Amritsar is fully equipped and cannot be ignored in any manner,” they added.

Officials said development of the local airport had taken a considerable time and money for providing world class facilities to passengers. The local airport was granted status of the international flying destination many years ago, but the ILS CAT-II was installed in 2007-08. However, it became operational over two years ago after its installation. Flight operations capability is severely curtailed during winters as the region is invariably engulfed with fog.

The instrument landing system is a ground-based system that provides guidance to an aircraft in approaching and landing on a runway by a combination of radio signals and high-intensity lighting arrays. All airlines are apprehensive of the foggy season.

The new system will enable pilots to land aircraft even when the runway visibility is just 50 metre. Besides, the new system will also help pilots while landing aircraft during heavy rainfall.

The existing CAT-II landing system allows landing and take of operations only when the visibility is 500 metre. The advance system will be functional at the airport in the next winter. However, airlines will also have to train their pilots for the new technology and make planes CAT-III compliant for airports, where CAT-III equipment has been installed. Amritsar has tremendous potential in religious tourism, trade and commerce. The expansion will benefit the region as traders and farmers will be able to store products and agricultural produce in cargo hubs on airport premises, which can be transported to markets in the neighbouring countries and areas.