The Hindu : Structure of air routes revised

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 23, 2002

National

National

Structure of air routes revised

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI NOV. 22. Come November 28, the existing decades-old air traffic route system in the country's airspace will be revised, facilitating global line-pilots and airline operators to have more air corridor capacity and fly directly to their destination. This will mean a saving of both flying time and fuel.

Taking advantage of the capability of aircraft avionics, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Asia Pacific Region, has embarked on a project — "Europe Mid-East Asia Route Structure South of Himalayas" — revising the route structure between New Zealand and Europe transiting Indian air space.

Explaining the salient features of the new system to be implemented by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the officiating Member (Operations), AAI, New Delhi, K. Ramalingam, told The Hindu that the length of the route and the height of an aircraft determined the cost of a flight in terms of fleet utilisation, flying cost, and other intricacies of aviation that have a bearing on the air traffic movement.

The revised routes would run parallel to each other at a distance of 50 nautical miles allowing independent operations and permit operators to choose any air route and the desired flying level.

While the route structure may not be a matter of direct concern to the travelling public as much as aircraft safety, Mr. Ramalingam said it was a vital factor to airline operators. The pre-revised air routes did not offer direct tracks and optimum heights and the aircraft were required to follow a zigzag track defined by ground-based navigational aids. The developments in navigation capabilities, with modern avionics supported by a Global Navigation Satellite System and a computerised flight management system, offered opportunities to rework the routes.

The new system was targeted for implementation on November 28, and the AAI, in cooperation with the ICAO Bangkok Regional Office and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), chalked out the revised structure. S.K. Saraswati, Regional Executive Director, National Airports Division, AAI, Southern Region, said in Chennai region alone there would be as many as 10 international air routes that would allow simultaneous operations at desired levels on the shortest flight path. With the Chennai Flight Information Region handling over 600 aircraft movements a day, the NAD-AAI was gearing up to meet future challenges and provide integrated air traffic services by opening up parallel routes offering shorter and straight air routes, which would help in building the image of the organisation globally.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National