AAI guhh!

Sophisticated Instrument Landing System ordered by Airport Authority of India (AAI) lies unused at Pune airport since the last eight moths due to opposition from the Indian Air Force

Sophisticated Instrument Landing System ordered by Airport Authority of India (AAI) lies unused at Pune airport since the last eight moths due to opposition from the Indian Air Force

For the past eight months, the sophisticated Instrument Landing System (ILS), meant to make aircraft landings smoother, has been lying unused at the Pune Airport.

This is simply because the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which purchased the ILS, is facing opposition from the Indian Air force when it comes to installing it.
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Signal interrupted

Rough Landing? The ILS will make it easier for planes, like the one above, to land at Pune's Lohgaon airport.

Said a senior AAI officer, "The AAI wants fighter planes at the airport to be shifted elsewhere, as they could interfere with the ILS's signals and come in the way of giving correct gliding information to civilian aircraft.

As the Pune airport is an IAF base, the AAI requires the IAF's permission before making any changes in the airport. The Air Force however, appears to be in no mood to oblige."

Aviation expert Vipul Saxena agreed that low-lying fighter aircraft can disturb the ILS, a sensitive radio signal based system.

'Pilots prefer ILS'

AAI Director Captain S K Mahajan said that the two sides were unable to sort out the issue at a recent meeting.

"We will have no choice but to dispatch the system to some other airport, if the matter is not resolved.

Though visibility is not much of a problem, pilots prefer to be guided by the ILS, which enables a smooth landing," explained Mahajan.

'IAF not against ILS'

Defence Public Relations Officer Prashant Pathrabe said the IAF is not against installation of the ILS. "We do need to deliberate more on the issue if it is to be sorted out amicably," Pathrabe said.

68
The number of landings in Pune every day

What is ils?

ILS is a key navigational tool which facilitates safe landing of aircraft under reduced visibility conditions caused of weather-induced factors like rain or fog. It helps avoid situations like aborted landings or flight diversion