Airlines don’t have CAT-III trained pilots

Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 3

Ten domestic flights were diverted from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport today mostly due to pilot noncompliance according to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

That means airlines are still flouting the rules laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — as all airlines have been asked to ensure that their crews are trained to fly using CAT-III system. And both the commander and the co-pilot flying in and out of Delhi would have to be trained to fly in zero visibility.

As per sources, except for Air India and Jet Airways, not many pilots of the other airlines are trained to fly in CAT-III conditions. And till date not all pilots of private airlines are trained to fly using CAT-III system, which leads to these delays.

RK Jenamani, Director, IMD, Delhi Region and Indira Gandhi International Airport, said shallow to moderate fog would continue to linger Delhi in coming days with minimum temperature in the range of 4 to 5° Celsius.

Thick fog paralysed flights operations today from 7.30 am to 9.30 am. While flight departures resumed after two hours, passengers faced snags till afternoon, said DIAL official.

BJP leader Ram Madhav was among the passengers at the receiving end as bad weather delayed flights at the airport this morning. Madhav, who was stuck in his aircraft for 3 hours, tweeted how fog had crippled air movement. "CAT3 notwithstanding, stuck in d aircraft for last 3 Hrs at Delhi airport with absolutely no information. ATC too unable to tell when d flight will get clearance. Fog in Delhi can cripple air movement at 12 noon. No technology can conquer nature," tweeted Madhav from the aircraft.

The minimum visibility required for take-off is 125 metres. The Palam observatory recorded visibility at 50 metres at 8.30 am while at the Safdarjung observatory, it was recorded at 350 m.

Because landing for the flight will be an issue when the Runway Visual Range (RVR) drops to 50 meters — as departures can operate down to RVR of 125 meters inspite of CAT-III been installed, according to Air Traffic Management official.

At the time of dense fog, the air operator will follow the diversionary mechanism, wherein flight will not need to hover in the sky, it will be diverted to other airport, said the official.

Pointing out that flights coming from north India to Delhi, when the airport is not likely available for more than 30 minutes to save the fuel and keeping the passengers safety in mind, the flights will be diverted to Amristsar, Jaipur, Lucknow and Banaras, likewise flights coming from south India are diverted to Bhopal, Jaipur and Banaras. Flight coming from western India landing at the IGI airport in dense fog situation are diverted to Jaipur and Ahmedabad, and flights coming from eastern side are diverted to Lucknow and Banaras.

However, DIAL had earlier claimed that to combat Delhi fog, Delhi airport is completely equipped to minimize inconvenience to passengers and ensure continuity of flight operations during low visibility period.