Damaged localizer and heavy rains increase Airline and passenger woes

Damaged localizer and heavy rains increase Airline and passenger woes

Mangalore Today News network

Mangalore, June 17, 2010: Airline companies operating flights to Mangalore International Airport have been forced to disrupt their schedules by either diverting or canceling their flights owing to the heavy rainfall as well as the damaged ILS. 

 

Although the ill-fated Air India Boeing 737-800 from Dubai to Mangalore damaged the localizer, a landing aid that forms part of the Instrument Landing System (ILS), before it crashed into the valley of Kenjar, aircraft have been using the same ILS for navigation ever since May 22, the day of the crash. Only one of the 12 arrays at the localizer has been damaged and the others are functional. The localizer is at the extreme end of the runway, well after the 90mts safety area. 

Thomas, the acting director of Bajpe Airport, said that the ILS was being used as the damage is minimal. The airport was shut for nearly 7 hours on May 22, Saturday and flights resumed only at 1 p.m. On Sunday, the airport operated 13 domestic and five international flights as usual. 

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) expects a team to arrive at Mangalore International Airport on Tuesday to re-calibrate the localizer. According to reliable AAI sources, a NOTAM (note to airmen) has been issued preventing the use of the ILS till June 18. Earlier, it was prevented from being used till June 12, but was extended because the AAI team was not available to calibrate the ILS. 

A spokesperson for Jet Airways said that the visibility requirement for VOR approach on Runway 06 is 3,600mts; and the visibility requirement for an ILS approach on Runway 24 is 1,200mts. The visibility requirement for a localizer only approach is 3,200mts. In case of bad weather when visibility drops below 3,600mts, an approach cannot be established because the ILS/localizer is not available. In this case, the decision is made by the pilot. Jet Airways cancelled all five flights till Sunday. The other carriers have also done the same. Only eight flights are being operated on Saturday. 

At the moment, the losses incurred because of canceling flights cannot be estimated, revealed sources. All flights that were cancelled or diverted were fully booked. Moreover, additional fuel was burned simply by circling Bajpe Airport for 15 – 20mts. Aircraft usually carry extra fuel in case of bad weather either to divert itself to the next nearest airport or circle the airport while waiting for clearance. Moreover, the inconvenience caused by canceling or diverting flights to passengers who might have to attend important meetings simply cannot be put into words.

The ILS is a landing navigation system used within a short distance of the airport to help pilots land in situations of limited visibility. The ILS at Bajpe Airport belongs to Category I, which is a standard ILS allowing flights to land when the visibility is 2,400ft or 732mts or 1,800ft or 549mts in case of touchdown. 

Category II and Category III ILS are highly advanced allowing flights to operate in almost zero visibility; however special certification of the aircraft and the pilot is required. A Category II ILS permits landing with a 100ft decision height and visibility as low as 1200ft or 366mts. A Category III ILS uses an auto-land system on board the landing airplane and permits landing even with no decision heights and visibility as low as 700ft or between 150ft and 700ft.