Still a long way to go for Pune ILS installation

Pune: After a year-and-a-half of vacillating over technical' matters, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are now engaged in a fresh exercise to finalise details for the installation of an upgraded CAT-II level instrument landing system (ILS) at the Lohegaon airport.
"The CAT-I level ILS equipment, which the AAI, Pune, had acquired nearly two years ago, has been shifted to the Chandigarh airport," Lohegaon airport director Deepak Shastri told TOI recently.
The ILS refers to a ground-based instrument approach system, which provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching a runway for safe landing during inclement weather conditions like low ceilings or reduced visibility caused by fog or heavy rains. In turn, situations like delays or flight diversions can be avoided.
The need for such equipment gets more pronounced during the winter season when flight disruptions owing to fog are often reported, throwing plans of air travellers as well as airlines out of gear.
On Thursday, the early morning flight schedule at the Lohegaon airport was disrupted due to fog. One flight had to be diverted to Mumbai, while another two were delayed by two to three hours. "The ILS is required in Pune, but its utility is for a limited period such as during winter or rainy seasons," said Shastri.
31/12/10 Vishwas Kothari/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Jan 2011