Air carriers brace to pierce winter haze

Bangalore: With winter in north India just a few weeks away, domestic airlines are gearing up to get the approval of the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) to operate in CAT-II (runway visibility range not below 350 metres) conditions at Delhi airport.
The CAT-II system is an instrument-approach system. This type of precision approach provides the pilot vertical guidance as well as horizontal guidance to the runway. This guidance system provides the pilot accuracy, integrity, and availability during adverse weather conditions.
Last winter, almost all carriers had to face huge operational disturbances and revenue losses at the Delhi airport because they were not prepared for low- visibility landing and takeoff.
However, with the DGCA making it mandatory this year for all operators to qualify for CAT II, in the absence of which they would not be allowed to fly to Delhi, airlines are rushing to complete the training of pilots and meeting other requirements to be CAT II-complaint before the winter comes.
13/10/06 Praveena Sharma/Daily News & Analysis

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