Why the big bird gave B’lore the skip

Bangalore: The sight of the world's largest passenger aircraft, Airbus A380, soaring over the clear blue skies before making its maiden landing on Indian soil might have thrilled aircraft lovers around the country. But, Bangaloreans can consider themselves a bit unlucky not to have seen the mammoth aircraft going through its paces.
Reason: It could not make a stopover at the 'Aviation hub of India' as the runways at the City airport are just not up to handling the 855-seater jet. This is not the first time that Bangaloreans have lost an opportunity to see the aircraft ‘live’. Earlier this year, Airbus as part of its global promotional tour had planned to bring the aircraft to the City during the AeroIndia - 2007 but had to shelve its plan, thanks to the ‘deficiencies’ of the runway at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka (the venue of the event).
However, this could change next year (that is, if the organisers plan to bring in the mammoth jet to the City) when the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli commences flight operations. The runways at the new airport would be ‘big’ enough to handle aircraft of that size.
The airport, which will be thrown open to traffic in April 2008, will have a 4000-metre runway which is 60 metres wide, including shoulders.
08/5/07 C S Hemanth/Deccan Herald

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Categories: Airports May 2007, New May 2007