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Sunday, Mar 30, 2008
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Night-landing from today

J. Balaji

AAI makes all arrangements for the event

— A file photo

Set for a quantum leap: A view of the illuminated runway of Visakhapatnam airport.

VISAKHAPATNAM: For the first time in the six-decade history of the Visakhapatnam airport, night operation of commercial flights will begin from Sunday onwards with the flight of low cost carrier Spice Jet from New Delhi via. Hyderabad, making the first landing at 7.20 p.m. It will leave to Mumbai via. Hyderabad at 7.50 p.m.

Demand for allowing night operation and deployment of instrument landing system (ILS) to help flight navigation in poor visibility is the long pending one of the Vizagites as the night operation would help them to bargain for allowing 24 hours operation in the airport as also flights on international routes in the future.

Additional security

Though the facilities for night operations were available as early as mid-2007 and in fact navy had been using the system for several months since now, the clearance for allowing commercial aircrafts in the night got delayed with the Defence Ministry due to shortage of naval personnel to man the air traffic control (ATC), which is under the control of the Navy.

Even now the night landing is allowed by breaking the time allotted for commercial operations in the afternoon.

It would be allowed only from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (nine hours) from Sunday onwards. Hitherto the timing was from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Airport Controller C. Pattabhi said the Airport Authority of India (AAI), which is in charge of navigation, tarmac operation and terminal maintenance, had made all the arrangements for the event. Additional lights in and around the airport and flood lights in the apron had been installed and tested, he said.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), in charge of frisking passengers and providing security inside the airport, has also been provided with additional manpower, it is learnt.

The night landing facilities in the airport is part of Rs. 195-crore airport modernisation project, which includes the new 10,000-feet runway, ILS and construction of additional aprons, etc.

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