The World Air
Traffic Controllers day 20th of October is round the corner once
again. On behalf of the entire e-zine team let me greet all of you
there, close or far, who mean so much in the Aviation fraternity. The
time has come to celebrate the achievements made in the past one year
and gear up for the remedies to be made to take aviation skywards.
This year
www.clubcontroltower.net is combining with the Air Traffic
Controllers Guild, India and Eternal Mewar and celebrating the day in
Udaipur, at Shikarbadi airstrip. A dozen small aircraft( Cessna, micro
light etc) are expected to participate and an ode to aviation will be
made by a sound and light show.
The Indian
Air Transport sector is among the most vibrant and fastest growing in
the world. IATA growth forecasts a growth of 8.4% average annual
growth in International traffic between 2004 and 2009.When combined
with the domestic traffic growth in India the growth rate in the
aviation sector is predicted to be 12% average annual growth against a
GDP growth of 12%. The five challenges identified by IATA for a
successful take off of Indian Aviation are-1.Enhancement of Safety
2.Urgent Infrastructure Improvements 3.Commercial Freedom
4.Simplifying the Aviation Business through effective use of
Technology.
Indian
Airports have seen a staggering rise in demand over the past years. To
compensate, India has invested in new airports, terminals, runways and
surveillance infrastructures. This year Indian Aviation witnessed the
introduction of Performance Based Navigation in Mumbai, Delhi and
Ahmedadbad Airports. PBN allows efficient use of airspace and the main
advantage for the pilots using this system is that the navigation
function is performed by highly accurate and sophisticated on board
equipment and thus allowing reduction in cockpit workload and increase
on safety. For Air Traffic Controllers, the main advantage of aircraft
using a RNAV system is that ATS routes can be straightened as it is
not necessary for the routes to pass over locations marked by
conventional navigational aids. The aircraft can be accuratyely flown
point to point with greater flexibility. So,it heralds an era of
reduction in sensor specific routes and procedures and their
associated costs.
IGI Airport
New Delhi has introduced its third runway. The 4430 meters long runway
which is 75 meters wide and christened 11-29 is the longest in India
and second longest in Asia after the longest that is 5500 meters in
Quamdo Bangda Airport in Tibet. This runway will take care of
operations of aircraft of A380 category in India. According to DIAL
the new runway would double the airports peak hour performance from an
average of 35-40 to 75.
The Govt. of
India has also approved a satellite based 7.7bn futuristic
navigational system which would meet the needs of growing air traffic
and strengthen the aviation navigation system. The new system, called
the Geostationary Augmentation and Navigation project will also help
aircraft to take a straight route instead of navigating on an
irregular path and contribute to fuel saving. The new system proposes
to enhance higher air traffic within limited airspace and also reduce
Controller workload .AAI and Indian Satellite Research Organisation
are developing this new system which is highly futuristic .
To meet the
growing needs of Air Traffic Controllers AAI has inducted new Air
Traffic Controllers on a war footing and the Civil Aviation Training
College is imparting the necessary trainings needed before allowing
them to assume independent duty.
With such
developments as above and futuristic efforts by all of us we can
surely take Indian Aviation to flight level 460 and above .So let us
....