Instrument Landing System (ILS) which facilitates smooth aircraft landing even during inclement weather conditions and poor visibility has now been set up at the Hubballi Airport. And, it will take another one-and-a-half months for the facility to be commissioned.
According to the authorities concerned, ILS calibration process was carried out on Thursday with an aircraft landing at the airport with the help of the Instrument Landing System.
Airport Director Pramod Thakre told The Hindu that now that the ILS calibration had been successfully completed, they had begun the process of getting clearances from the authorities concerned and these had to be published for the information of the pilots. “After installation of the ILS, flight landing procedure automatically changes and this has to be communicated to all those concerned after getting clearances from the competent authorities. There is a set procedure for it and it usually takes one-and-a-half months to complete it,” he said.
The Instrument Landing System guides pilots land aircraft even in case of minimum visibility. It consists of a localiser, glide path and distance measuring equipment. ILS is a standard International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) precision landing aid which is used to provide accurate descent guidance signals to aircraft for landing on the runway under normal or adverse weather conditions.
In Hubballi, the installation of ILS began during January and it has now been completed successfully. Although night landing facility is available in Hubballi, ILS was missing resulting in flight delays during inclement weather conditions.
Airport sources said that ILS would help in avoiding accidents while landing. In March 2015, a SpiceJet aircraft carrying 75 passengers and crew had skidded off the runway in Hubballi. And, one of the reasons attributed for the mishap was lack of ILS.
