Navi Mumbai: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be conducting a trail run using a C-130J transport aircraft and a Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet even as the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) prepares for its first trial aircraft which is likely to land on October 31, 2024. The IAF trial run comes two days after the Flight Inspection Unit (FIU) of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) conducted testing of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the proposed airport.
When enquired, an official from the IAF confirmed that Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet will be used for the testing, but pleaded ignorance when asked about the date and time of the trial run.
“This crucial exercise will test the airport's infrastructure and systems before it officially opens to commercial flights in March, 2025. Once the trial run is complete, a thorough evaluation of the runway, navigation aids, and other facilities will be undertaken. This process, which includes calibrating flight paths and obtaining necessary approvals, is expected to take several months,” sources known to the development said.
The upcoming trial landing marks a major milestone in the development of the NMIA, which is anticipated to significantly alleviate the congestion at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). With its modern infrastructure and increased capacity, the new airport is poised to become a key gateway for both domestic and international travel.
The FIU of the AAI completed the testing of ILS on Monday and Tuesday last. The authorities tested various aspects of the ILS operations at the runway 08R/26L. ILS testing is part of calibrating flight path to ensure operational readiness of the runway. The FIU will now submit its findings and report to the AAI which will take further decisions.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL) had stated that this is a landmark event essential to prepare the instrument approach procedure and eventual licensing of NMIA and its operationalisation.
ILS is a precision runway approach aid based on two radio beams, which together provide pilots with both vertical and horizontal guidance during an approach to the land. While the localiser component of the system provides lateral guidance such as whether an arriving aircraft is in alignment with the central line of the runway to a pilot, the glider path component of the system gives vertical guidance like altitude.
Recently, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) awarded ‘NMI’ as location code to Navi Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd. (NMIAL), a subsidiary of Mumbai International Airport Ltd. IATA Codes are an integral part of the aviation and travel industry, which help identify destinations and traffic documents of a commercial airline.
In addition, this three-letter code also facilitates smooth running of hundreds of electronic applications, which have been built around these coding systems for passenger and cargo traffic purposes.
