Four combat jets, including Sukhoi and Tejas and one AN32 transport aircraft, on Thursday flew at a height of around 5 metres on the 4.1-km Emergency Landing Runway (ELR) constructed at Pichukalagudipadu village in Korisapadu mandal of Bapatla district on the National Highway 16. However, the aircraft did not land on the highway.
As part of strengthening strategic security of the country, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted the trial run, which was successful. Initially, the IAF authorities had planned to fly the fighter jets at an altitude of around 100 metres, but while they were conducting the emergency drill, they tested the aircraft at a height of around five metres or less.
“Two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft, two indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and another transport plane AN32 flew on the newly developed ELR, Air Commodore V.M. Reddy of the Southern Air Command, said.
The trial flight began at 11 a.m. and ended by 11.40 am. First in the sequence of aircrafts, the AN32 flew over the runway at a height of around 5 metres, followed by a twin Su-30 and a couple of Tejas fighter jets. During their first round of visit, both Su-30 and Tejas came as twins. After passing through the ELR in their first run, they peeled into two, separated themselves and again flew over the target.
An AN-32 during the trial run on the emergency landing facility constructed on a national highway in Bapatla, on Thursday.
Mr. Reddy said that the combat aircrafts LCA and transport plane came from Sulur Air Force Station, near Coimbatore, while the LCAs flew in from the Thanjavur Air Force Station. This entire trail run was conducted by the Southern Air Command (SAC) with its Headquarters at Trivandrum. This ELR facility falls under the area of responsibility of the SAC.
Mr. Reddy said that the Bapatla ELR was going to be the first of its kind emergency facility in the Southern peninsula. There were other two in operation — one each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Government of India had planned around 20 ELR facilities across the country, which would come up in course of time, he said. Two more would come up in Tamil Nadu.
Reacting to a question on similar facility being developed in Prakasam district, Mr. Reddy said those stretches had curves more than the acceptable limits. He said the aircraft needed at least 3 km length and 30 metres width of runway without a curve. The Bapatla ELR was a total of 4.1 km with around 33 metres width. Here, the actual runway was 3 kms and the rest was over the runway, which would be used by the Air Force authorities as required.
Mr. Reddy said that the facility would help in case of war, floods, during NDRF’s rescue operations, air dropping of relief material, transportation of the stranded people and for other emergency needs.
R.S. Chowdury, Group Captain at Suryalanka Air Force base camp in Bapatla district, said that it was a greater success than expected. He said the pilots also expressed their satisfaction over the “runway”. “Today, we did not land fighter jets or aircraft on this facility. But, with this success, we will plan to land the aircraft in February or March 2023,” he said. To land the flights, the runway should be protected with fencing on two sides so that no people or animals walk on the runway.
Vakul Jindal, Superintendent of Police, Bapatla district, said the police diverted traffic on the NH between 10.30 a.m. and noon. Police security was increased at the crossroads, wherever the new roads joined the runway. Light vehicles were diverted through village roads and heavy trucks were halted for an hour. District Collector Vijaya Krishnan and officials of IAF were present during the event.
