Fewer delays, cancellations in store at Chandigarh airport

Equipment that helps flights land in fog gets an upgrade, will facilitate operations even if runway visibility drops to 800 metres

People travelling to and from the Chandigarh International Airport can expect fewer delays and cancellations due to fog this winter with CAT-2 instrument landing system (ILS) becoming operational from November 14.

An ILS allows pilots to land using instruments when they are unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, especially when there is poor visibility.

Last winter, with the existing CAT-1 ILS, it was possible to operate flights only with the minimum visibility of 1,200 metres. “However, we have upgraded the facilities to CAT-2, due to which it is now possible to operate flights with minimum visibility of 800 metres,” said Prince Dilbar, the spokesperson for Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL).

While Dilbar claimed “fog will have almost insignificant impact on the aircraft operations this winter”, airlines also seem more hopeful this year. “Last year, various air carriers had dropped seven flights from the winter schedule, wary of fog-related cancellations at the airport. This year, none has dropped flights or changed their schedule. In fact, we have increased the number of flights in the winter schedule.”

In the winter schedule implemented on October 27, the airport added a new flight to Mumbai, taking the total number of flights operating from here to 36.

Suneel Dutt, chief executive officer, CHIAL, said last winter, there were almost three to four cancellations due to intense fog. “This upgrading will further reduce this number of cancellations to almost nil,” he said.

Also, low visibility take-off operations (LVTO) for departure of flights can now be executed in visibility as low as 125 meters, which indicates there will be negligible delay in departures, said Dutt.

How the system works

Generally, for CAT-1 ILS operations, one RVR (Runway Visibility Range) instrument is installed to calculate visibility on the runway. For CAT-2 operations, two RVR instruments are installed at the middle and at the end of the runway.

However, at Chandigarh, three RVRs are installed, which the CHIAL officials claimed enhances the accuracy of the CAT-2 ILS installed here.

“Nominal delays during arrival or departures of the flights cannot be totally ruled out depending upon weather, but after the installation of CAT-2 ILS, these delays will be further minimised,” said Dutt.

Data shared by the airport shows that runway visibility drops below 400m on several occasions every winter. January 2017 had five such days and 2016 had 11 such days.

CHIAL has also intimated the Airports Authority of India (AAI) about the development, so that it can be used as an alternate airport to handle any diverted flights from the nearby airports during dense fog. “We are also increasing the number of bays, which will help us to park about 15 aircraft at the apron and if need be more planes can be parked at our taxiways,” said Dutt.

Extended flight operations

In the last winter season, there were no flight operations before 10am, but after the upgrading, flights will be operated from 6am. “We are in regular contact with all airlines, as more number of flights can be added during the night hours in this winter season itself,” said Dutt.

Moreover, if the visibility reduces beyond RVR value of 800 metres, “we have arranged ‘follow me’ vehicles that will guide the aircraft from the runway to bay or vice-versa to avoid any kind of inconvenience or halt of operations.”

Meanwhile, on the installation of CAT-3 advanced ILS, which allows operations at as low as 50m visibility, Dutt said the proposal has been sent to the AAI for approval