Airport capability may be enhanced to Category-III

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, November 25 

After having recently upgraded the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the Chandigarh international airport to Category-II, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has initiated the process to further enhance its capability to Category-III, which will permit aircraft operations in zero visibility.

The Category-II ILS at the airport, at present, permits operations in a visibility of 800 metres. The Category-III system will be able to guide an aircraft to within 50 metres of the touchdown point on the runway.

The ILS helps aircraft land safely in adverse weather conditions. It beams signals to an approaching aircraft that are readable by pilots, which help them align the aircraft with the runway’s centreline and also maintain the correct angle of decent. 

 “We have sent the proposal for upgrading the ILS to Category-III to the AAI headquarters and if things work out, the upgrade will be done in around eight months,” Suneel Dutt, Chief Executive Officer of Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL) said.

“The Category-III ILS is a sensitive equipment and requires various sensors and radio beacons. There are some structures and obstructions, both within the airfield and outside the perimetre fence, that need to be removed for the upgraded ILS to function effectively,” Dutt said. CHAIL is attached to the Chandigarh Air Force Station and the runway as well as air traffic control services belong to the Air Force. “We have also taken up the issue of removal of certain structures within the airfield with the Air Force authorities so that they do not interfere with the ILS,” Dutt said.

The Chandigarh airport is now capable of operating 24x7 after the installation of advanced equipment such as Runway Visibility Range (RVR). This has also brought down the possibility of flight cancellation due to fog or low visibility in the coming winters to virtually zero. 

Work is also underway to ensure Low Visibility Take-Off (LVTO) operations, under which departure of flights from the Chandigarh airport would soon be executed in Runway Visibility Range as low as up to 125 metres.

At present, there are 38 flights operating to and from the airport, with several of them landing or taking off after dark. Installation of new equipment has also enabled Chandigarh to be listed as an alternative airport for diversion of flights, including international, destined for other airports in the region.

At present, ops are permitted in 800 metre visibility

• The Category-II Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport, at present, permits operations in a visibility of 800 metres. The Category-III system will be able to guide an aircraft to within 50 metres of the touchdown point on the runway.
• The ILS helps aircraft land safely in adverse weather conditions. It beams signals to an approaching aircraft that are readable by pilots, which help them align the aircraft with the runway’s centreline and also maintain the correct angle of decent.