The Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation convened in New Delhi on Friday, October 13, to address the critical matter of 'Fog Planning' and enhance the efficiency of aviation operations during the upcoming winter season.
The meeting was presided over by Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, and was attended by key figures including Minister of State of Civil Aviation, General (Retd) Dr V.K. Singh, members of Parliament, and officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), Airports Authority of India (AAI), and other related organisations.
During the meeting, Scindia commended the proactive approach taken by the Ministry, DGCA, and AAI , which has significantly reduced flight cancellations and diversions during the foggy winter season.
Despite a 22% increase in the number of aircraft movements in the past two years, the rate of cancellations dropped from 0.09% in 2021-22 to 0.05% in 2022-23.
Similarly, the number of flight diversions from the eight main fog-prone airports decreased from 58 in 2021-22 to 14 in 2022-23.
Fog is a weather phenomenon predominantly affecting the northern parts of India during the winter season. It causes poor visibility, often less than 1,000 metres, due to the presence of water droplets and dust in the air close to the ground. The period between December 10 and February 10 each year is generally considered the fog season, the minister informed.
To prepare for this challenging period, DGCA annually engages with all stakeholders to assess the readiness of support systems on the ground and the operators in terms of aircraft availability and trained crew for operations in Category II (CAT II) and Category III (CAT III) conditions.
As of the current date, various airlines have 4,804 flight crew members qualified for CAT II/III operations, including 2,979 captains and 1,825 co-pilots. There are six airports equipped with CAT III landing facilities, allowing flights to land with low runway visual range. Additionally, eight airports are set to gain CAT I capabilities, while facilities will be upgraded from CAT I to CAT II at four other airports.
Minister Scindia said, during the foggy period, airlines have been directed to adjust their flight schedules to eliminate non-CAT II/CAT III compliant aircraft from operation. They are also mandated to ensure the scheduling of CAT II/CAT III qualified crew to enhance safety and minimise disruptions.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
First Published: Oct 13, 2023 5:14 PM IST
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