Pune: The Air Force Station (AFS), Lohegaon, authorities confirmed on Monday that civilian flights operating out of the city on international and "some domestic" routes will have to be rescheduled when the daily closure of the airport runway takes effect, to facilitate the Modernization of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) works that are likely to begin from first week of December.
The airport forms a part of the Indian Air Force's strategically vital Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter base at Lohegaon. The runway and the air traffic control (ATC) are controlled by the AFS while the civil enclave is managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The airport handles 46 flights and 7,000-plus passengers every day with the IAF restrictions on civilian flight operations from 8 am to 10.30 am and 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm daily.
"The MAFI project contractor (Tata Power) has asked for eight to 10 hours of unhindered access to runway, from the time when the work related to laying of embedded lights along the runway central line is to begin," said Group Captain A Bhadra, chief operating officer of 2 Wing Air Force, which controls the air base. "We have discussed this with the airlines and the 10 pm to 8 am time is viewed as suitable for works during night hours so that military and civilian flight operations are least affected," he said.
01/10/13 Vishwas Kothari/Times of India
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The airport forms a part of the Indian Air Force's strategically vital Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter base at Lohegaon. The runway and the air traffic control (ATC) are controlled by the AFS while the civil enclave is managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The airport handles 46 flights and 7,000-plus passengers every day with the IAF restrictions on civilian flight operations from 8 am to 10.30 am and 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm daily.
"The MAFI project contractor (Tata Power) has asked for eight to 10 hours of unhindered access to runway, from the time when the work related to laying of embedded lights along the runway central line is to begin," said Group Captain A Bhadra, chief operating officer of 2 Wing Air Force, which controls the air base. "We have discussed this with the airlines and the 10 pm to 8 am time is viewed as suitable for works during night hours so that military and civilian flight operations are least affected," he said.
01/10/13 Vishwas Kothari/Times of India
