3rd IGI runway by Aug-end

New Delhi: IGI airport’s new runway, which will help the airport deal with increased air traffic, is likely to open for trial from August 15, when Airports Authority of India and Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd (DIAL) will have some planes land on the airstrip using Category I landing procedure.
This plan comes on the heels of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation asking AAI and DIAL to work hand in hand to ensure that the runway is in operation in time to meet the government-set deadline — the first quarter of 2009. Caliberational work for navigational aids on the runway took place on Monday and Tuesday.
The new runway will increase the airport’s capacity from the present 36 landings and takeoffs an hour to 65. According to sources, the trial runs will take place for a few days and the runway will be made operational for commercial flights by the end of August or beginning of September. ‘‘Almost all civil and technical work has been completed and trial runs should begin soon,’’ said a DIAL official.
Sources added that trials will involve only landings at present to save airlines from taxiing an extra 4km and spending on precious aviation turbine fuel (ATF).
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01/08/08 Neha Lalchandani/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Aug 2008