BIAL not to have Cat-3 ILS

Bangalore: The new Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) at Devanahalli will not have the world's most popular hi-tech landing facility, the Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS), which enables blind landing.
The decision not to have the equipment was not BIAL's, but the civil aviation ministry's. The ministry took the decision after considering several factors and consulting a high-level committee of aviation officials.
Had the Bangalore airport opted for the Category 3 system, aircraft with a visibility of only 50-100 metre or none at all (that is if the fog is so thick you can only see 50 metre or nothing ahead of you) can still land purely based on signals sent by the Instrument Landing System (radars) to the aircraft. The landing will entirely be instrument-based, the pilot will have no need to see the runway and the aircraft will land using autopilot.
The reason behind the ministry's decision could be its high cost — at least Rs 300 crore — for equipment on the ground. Corresponding fixtures in aircraft too are expensive. Airlines would have to invest large amounts to make aircraft compatible and also to train pilots.
The ministry also studied meteorological data on Bangalore fog which said it is not as serious as in Delhi or Mumbai, not warranting this equipment.
11/11/07 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Nov 2007, New Nov 2007, Safety Nov 2007