No take-off, landing three minutes before, after VIP flight

New Delhi:After a stern reminder from the President’s office, the air safety regulator under the Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to suspend air operations three minutes before and after a VVIP flight is scheduled at an airport.
The decision comes six months after a joint investigation team called for better coordination between Airports Authority of India, Indian Air Force and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to prevent mishaps similar to the one that involved the President’s helicopter in February last year.
At present, flights of VVIPs — President, Vice-President and Prime Minister — are just accorded priority status while landing or taking off. President Pratibha Patil’s helicopter had a close call at Mumbai airport in February 2008 when her entourage, comprising three choppers, came in the way of an Air India flight to Delhi. The Air India flight had to abort take-off at the last moment. President Patil was travelling in the second helicopter of the entourage.
The decision to suspend air operations prior to take-off and landing was taken by the DGCA recently in consultation with the AAI and IAF. Necessary instructions will be put out soon, a senior official said.
12/01/10 Smita Aggarwal/Indian Express

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Categories: Airports Jan 2010