October 20, 2010: At Chandigarh airport, winter has always meant that delays could be expected and flight schedule changes would be frequent. The new Instrument Landing System (ILS) finally being installed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is expected to change this, as it will allow aircraft to land safely, even in the low-visibility conditions of the foggy winters.
The ILS uses radio signals and high-intensity lighting patterns to offer precision guidance for aircraft approaching and landing on the runway.
Chandigarh Airport Director Sunil Dutt said that The ILS installation work would start this week upon the arrival of a special AAI team. Dutt added that the navigation system will be operational before the beginning of the foggy winter season.
The ILS belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF), which controls the local airport, has not been functioning for some time. This ILS, installed about 15 years ago, is the oldest available version. This version is no longer being used anywhere in India. This Air Force ILS was surveyed in December by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to certify it for commercial use. At this time, AAI found the system out of order.
There are currently 11 regular flights from Chandigarh city airport to destinations across India including Delhi, Mumbai, Jammu and Srinagar. Authorities have announced that international operations from Chandigarh will start from this January.