Juhu runway move to put choppers in flight path

Mumbai: A group of Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials have sought to issue a controversial order that allows helicopters to land on the main runway of Juhu airport when Mumbai airport's secondary runway is in use. The order is controversial as these choppers would come in close proximity to the aircraft landing on Mumbai airport's secondary runway. It would be a nightmare situation for pilots and air traffic controllers.
The notice, proposed on Thursday by a general manager of Juhu airport, said that when the secondary runway is in use at Mumbai airport, fixed-wing aircraft should not be allowed to land in Juhu, but helicopters can continue to land. The notice has triggered alarm among pilots and air safety officials. "So now there is no problem if a passenger aircraft operating from Mumbai's secondary runway collides with a helicopter landing on Juhu's main runway," said a letter sent on Sunday by S Mangala, AAI deputy general manager, aviation safety, to a number of top officials, including civil aviation minister Ajit Singh.
17/09/12 Manju V/Times of India

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Categories: airports Sep 2012, Safety Sep 2012