Tiruchi airport to get dedicated OFC link with Chennai

the efficiency of Tiruchi international airport’s air traffic services and surveillance system is to enhance with radar feeds poised to be obtained from the Chennai airport.

The airport authorities here have chalked out a plan to obtain real time data of aircraft movements through optic fibre cable link.

A technical team of Tiruchi airport has been holding negotiations with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to provide a dedicated leased line. Tiruchi airport, which does not have a radar at present, would not be found wanting of this facility once the feeds with constant updates starts coming from Chennai.

Radar feeds would enable Tiruchi air traffic controllers to position the aircraft approaching Tiruchi directly on the Instrument Landing System (ILS). This would cut down landing time of flights arriving Tiruchi by 10 to 15 minutes thereby helping airlines in saving precious aviation turbine fuel and reduce carbon emission, say airport officials.

In the absence of radar facility, the Tiruchi airport is providing procedural air traffic control services involving time delay for aircraft.

The radar feeds would enable air traffic controllers to track aircraft flying past Tiruchi air space besides knowing its position, speed and height, say officials.

In addition to this, it would enhance air safety and surveillance.

The radar feeds would be an additional surveillance tool for the Tiruchi air traffic controllers in addition to the Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast system which is yet to be commissioned at the Tiruchi airport pending approval from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation.

The feeds would improve search and rescue services.

Authorities are hopeful of obtaining early clearance from the Airports Authority of India. Flights to overseas destinations such as Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Dubai are operated from Tiruchi.

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