Stringent adherence to high safety standards is also a must while facing weather anomalies, Jaideep Mirchandani adds
This week, pollution levels (measured as PM2.5 or fine particulate matter) were estimated to be 59 times higher than the WHO-prescribed limit. While Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced the deployment of over 200 mobile anti-smog guns, the capital is no stranger to poor visibility owing not just to air pollution but also dense winter fog.
In December last year, flight operations were severely hit when fog induced visibility dropped to 0 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has frequently shed light on its fog preparedness strategies for the IGI Airport to secure operations. These measures include infrastructure upgrades, additional manpower, high visibility jackets to the staff facilitating passenger movement, public address systems and radio transmission sets for better coordination.
Informative online services, coordination with CISF for easy exit of passengers from the terminal building in case of flight cancellations and enhanced seating arrangement to accommodate passengers delayed by fog conditions are also some additional steps discussed by DIAL.
Jaideep Mirchandani, Group Chairman, Sky One believes it is important to minimise disruptions and provide real-time information to passengers, “To increase operational resilience at airports during poor visibility conditions, it is important to leverage smart technology, augment infrastructure and take proactive measures to provide timely information. A sharp focus on stress free passenger experience and adherence to high safety standards is necessary at all times but especially when flight schedules are disrupted due to weather anomalies.”
Discussing the importance of leveraging advanced radar and navigational technologies, he mentions Surface Movement Radar (SMR) which streamlines air traffic on ground even during poor visibility. Instrument Landing System (ILS), a ground-based radio navigation system helps pilots land safely. Runway Visual Range (RVR) Monitoring offers real-time data on visibility conditions along the runway while pilots and air traffic controllers benefit immensely from Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) which provides real-time aircraft position information.
According to Mr. Mirchandani, Low Visibility Operations (LVO) also entail adaptive flight plans, an uninterrupted flow of weather forecasts and visibility reports along with avionics and precision approach systems that can help pilots to safely navigate visibility challenges.
“It is also critical to train pilots in navigation and precision landing techniques along with equipping the ground staff with the wherewithal to support LVO operations. It is a positive sign that the government is expanding airport capacity and transparently discussing its plans to implement LVO. This will go a long way in smoothly managing air traffic flow and minimising disruption as far as flight schedules are concerned, ” he concludes.
