AAI successfully tests instrument landing and radar systems at Navi Mumbai airport
A Beechcraft Super King Air 350 aircraft was used for the testing
The instrument landing system (ILS) and radar systems at the DB Patil International Airport in Navi Mumbai have undergone successful testing. Airports Authority of India (AAI) operated a test flight to test the systems and conducted successful takeoff and landing at the airport.
The airport’s runway testing phase has also been successfully finished. According to estimates from the authorities, the airport will open in March 2025. The airport was earlier assigned the three-letter code “NMI” by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a means of identification.
Explaining the ILS system, a senior flight instructor said, “The ILS system is a crucial component for airports, providing precise guidance to aircraft approaching and landing on a runway. It consists of two primary components: the localizer and the glide slope. The localizer provides lateral guidance, ensuring that the aircraft remains aligned with the centerline of the runway during its approach while the glide slope offers vertical guidance, helping pilots maintain the correct angle of descent towards the runway. These components work together to enable safe landings even in poor weather conditions, enhancing the safety and efficiency of airport operations.”
The flight instructor added, “The localiser and glide slope are radio beams that guide aircraft. From the very point where the aircraft intercepts these beams, the autopilot can get the aircraft on the ground irrespective of the weather conditions. Pilots do not even touch the controls if they decide to autoland instead of hand-flying the last few hundred feet of the final approach. In case of heavy rains and gusty crosswinds, this approach is helpful.”
“Approximately 20 tests are conducted before ILS implementation to ensure operational readiness, focusing on signal accuracy and guidance precision for safe aircraft operations,” said an AAI source.
Maiden Landing
The source also disclosed that the first aircraft landing on the airport was established for an ILS approach on runway 26 at D.B. Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport. A Beechcraft Super King Air 350 aircraft of the AAI, registered as VT-FIU, was used for the testing and calibration of the runway and other systems.
D.B. Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport Project update from #Maharashtra
— Infra News India (INI) (@TheINIofficial) July 20, 2024
First ILS (Instrument Landing System) testing was successfully conducted at the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Phase 1 of the airport is scheduled to open by March 2025.@mieknathshinde… pic.twitter.com/0LXvJQHf7R
“The successful test run involved the first aircraft to take off and land at the new airport. The ILS and radar systems that are in place were also tested to ensure everything is functional. The testing began on Tuesday and the aircraft landed on the runway on Thursday,” said an AAI source.
“The airport is expected to become operational by March 2025. Once complete, the Navi Mumbai International Airport is set to become a major hub for air travel in the region, alleviating congestion at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and boosting economic growth in the surrounding areas,” the source added. “The airport project is structured in five phases and will accommodate 90 million passengers annually. The initial phase is expected to handle 20 million passengers annually,” said an NMI source.
