Secretary Civil Aviation reviews fog preparedness of Delhi Airport

The Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation today reviewed the preparedness of the Delhi Airport to handle foggy weather conditions. The meeting was attended by the DGCA, Chairman AAI, Member (Operations) AAI, COO of DIAL and other senior officers.
The 3rd runway at IGI Airport, New Delhi has been commissioned for low visibility Air Traffic operations today, after inspection by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in respect of the elements involved in facilitating aircrafts operation under near Zero (50 mtrs.) visibility conditions (Category 3B Operations).
Airport Authority of India (AAI) has installed and commissioned 2nd Surface Movement Radar (SMR) at the 3rd runway with a separate ATC Display in Control Tower which forms part of the existing Automation Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (ASMGCS). This display will facilitate the Air Traffic Controllers (duty trained) to identify the radar data from detected targets on the 3rd runway as well as the related taxiway before entering the International/Domestic Apron even under near Zero visibility conditions. The Category-III Instrumental Landing System (ILS) has already been commissioned after calibration, which will help to sustain the Category 3B operations.
The low visibility procedures have also been worked out and are in place for the 3rd runway low visibility operations. The MET Deptt. has installed and commissioned the required Runway Visual Range (RVR) measurement equipment (Transmissometers), which will help in giving instantaneous runway visibility reading in the Control Tower and thus will help in effecting the low visibility procedures incase runway visibility falls to near Zero.
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has installed and commissioned Category 3B Runway/Taxiway lighting system for permitting low visibility operations. Together with the 2nd runway which is fit for Category-3B operations, the 3rd runway also can be utilized for low visibility operations to share the air traffic load demands even during adverse visibility conditions, so that air traffic diversions don’t happen. Utilization of these two runways for Category-3B low visibility operations will however depend on the Pilot populations, who are trained and rated for carrying out low visibility landing and takeoff of aircrafts.
The DGCA, meanwhile has directed all airlines to ensure that CAT-3 compliant aircraft and pilots are rostered for operating into Delhi Airport. This will be strictly monitored by the DGCA on a day-to-day basis.
12/12/08 Press Information Bureau

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Categories: Airports Dec 2008