Bengaluru airport gets upgraded system for improved runway visibility

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru International Airport is getting an upgrade of its visibility with its newly installed the category-3B (CAT-3B) instrument landing system (ILS) on its new runway. This will benefit the aircraft landing and take off with improved visibility in inclement weather and foggy conditions, said its operator on Thursday,

"The new runway has been upgraded with CAT-3B ILS to enable any aircraft landing at 50-metre visual range and take-off at 125-metre visibility," said the operator (Bangalore International Airport Ltd) in a statement here.

A CAT-3B helps pilots with a precision approach and landing when the runway visibility is at a distance less than 50 feet (15 metre) and take-off at a visual range less than 200 metres.

The city airport becomes sixth in the country to be installed with a CAT-3B runway for better visibility in the night and early hours of the day.

The CAT-3B is aided by airfield ground lights, transmission metre, automatic weather observatory station, surface movement radar and navigational aids.

The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) inspected the CAT-3B compliant runway after the airport secured regulatory approvals to operate the runway on completion of trial and calibration flights.

"Airlines have to deploy crew trained for CAT-3B operations to make optimal use of the new facility," said the operator, which is a consortium of public and private partners.

Foggy conditions in winter and inclement weather were found leading to delays and diversions of aircraft, inconveniencing passengers and causing financial loss to airlines since the new airport commenced operations at Devanahalli on the city's northern outskirts over a decade ago.

The city airport is the country's third largest in aircraft traffic movement after New Delhi and Mumbai airports.