3-minute airport closure for VVIPs

Mumbai: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has recommended three minutes airspace closure for VVIP flights in all airports.
The recommendation has appeared in its exhaustive report on the near-miss incident involving one of the choppers of presidential convoy at Mumbai airport.
The IAF, which flies VVIP like PM and president, had been asking for 10 minutes of airspace closure, but after detailed discussion the DGCA has now recommended three minutes of airspace closure for any commercial and non commercial flight when the VVIP flight is landing or taking off from an airport.
On the fateful day three choppers carrying President Pratibha Patil had a miraculous escape when one of the chopper tried to land on a runway from which an Air India flight (IC-866) was about to take off.The AI pilot aborted take-off at the last moment to avoid a possible collision with the chopper. The DGCA has now recommended that all VVIP helicopter convoy will report finals at the beginning of runway and also after landing at the desired spot on the runway.
The report stated that this should be immediately documented and circulated by both Indian Air Force (IAF) and Airports Authority of India (AAI).The DGCA report has squarely blamed the lack of coordination between the Indian Air Force and Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the Mumbai incident. The IAF flies VVIP like prime minister and president and the AAI officials handle the control tower of all the airports.
02/06/09 Yogesh Kumar/Daily News & Analysis

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Air India Domestic Jul 2009, Airports Jul 2009, Indian Aviation- In General Jul 2009, NACIL Jul 2009, Safety Jul 2009