Bengaluru’s HAL Airport gets satellite-guided chopper navigation
Bengaluru's HAL Airport has become the country's first airport to operationalise a satellite-guided precision navigation system for helicopters, the state-run aircraft maker said on Friday. Called Required Navigation Performance, Category H (RNP…
The Story in Brief
Bengaluru's HAL Airport has become the country's first airport to operationalise a satellite-guided precision navigation system for helicopters, the state-run aircraft maker said on Friday. Called Required Navigation Performance, Category H (RNP CAT H), the procedure was developed by the Airports Authority of India, validated through flight trials by HAL test pilots and approved by the DGCA. HAL chief Ravi K called it a significant milestone for aviation safety and efficiency. The system cuts approach time from 12 minutes to about four, enables all-weather access, reduces noise over cities, and supports critical missions like air ambulances. Nearly 50 helicopter movements take place daily at the airport.
The Indian Opinion
The RNP CAT H system at HAL Airport is a welcome upgrade, but celebrating one airport masks a wider gap. Most Indian airports lack precision approaches for helicopters, especially in hilly or congested areas. The real test will be how quickly AAI and DGCA extend this procedure to other key heliports and airports. Without that scale, the 'milestone' risks being an isolated showcase.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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