Chennai airport expansion: Presence of VOR overlooked

Chennai: It seems the Airports Authority of India forgot that the linkway they are constructing at the Chennai Airport to join the main and secondary runway will result in displacement of a very high frequency omni range (VOR) equipment, an essential requirement for any airport from the pilot’s perspective to identify his destination.
Sources at the airport said the officials had apparently ignored the presence of VOR in close proximity to the new linkway 1 and the parallel taxiway to main runway that have been constructed.
“Owing to its proximity to the linkway it has to be demolished as the aircraft wings will bump into it. AAI apparently didn’t foresee this during the expansion stage. It seems to be a planning error. Subsequently they also realised that there is no other convenient location except for near the hangars which couldn’t be demolished. Hence they are now having to make two VORs- one for each runway. It is a lot of work because new procedures have to be put in place and well tested before it is commissioned,” an ATC source said.
A VOR is basically a navigational instrument that gives out radials to the pilot for setting his course to come into his destination airport.
“The VOR will be unsteady if it has any obstruction in its path. A VOR, apart from a homing device, is a primary facility for an instrument approach when a pilot practises automated landing instead of manually controlling or visual flying. In the absence of a VOR, IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) landing cannot be done at all. Moreover, in absence of VOR and instrument landing system equipment, visibility requirements will become very poor leading to more diversions. Night operations are also not possible,” retired ATC official and aviation expert Krishnan said.
20/02/11 Mamta Todi/ExpressBuzz

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Categories: Airports Feb 2011