Fog: DGCA issues additional guidelines

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has today announced additional guidelines to deal with the prevalent fog situation at the IGI Airport, Delhi. The DGCA has also reviewed the winter schedule of all airlines for movement out of Delhi and has amended or cancelled flights vis-à-vis compatibility of the airlines.
The DGCA has reiterated that all airlines shall:
· inform their passengers of delay or cancellation of their flights in advance;
· periodically update flight information display system at the Airport to apprise passengers about delays/cancellations;
· nominate senior level officer as ‘Nodal Officer’ and position him at the Airport to take spot decisions for providing facilitation to the passengers and maintain liaison control with Control Room set up by Aerodrome Operator M/s. DIAL Ltd.
Some of the main guidelines issued by the DGCA for aircraft operations during fog condition at IGI Airport are:
· The Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) prepared for the operation of the aircraft up to CAT-IIIB visibility condition at IGI Airport Delhi, shall be strictly followed by all agencies at the Airport including the security agencies.
· With the deteriorating trend of visibility detected, Duty Officer, Met, IGI Airport shall inform the WSO as the RVR becomes less than 1200 mtrs. and when the visibility forecasted indicates deterioration of visibility to 800 mtrs. or less. This information shall also be passed by Met at IGI Airport to the airlines and other agencies whenever enquiries about visibility conditions are received from them.
· The airlines on the basis of above information shall plan their departures and arrivals and commence necessary facilitation process for passengers.
· Airport Terminal Managers of DIAL at all three Terminals at IGI Airport shall also monitor and coordinate with airlines, and take necessary steps to facilitate passengers.
· LVP shall start from the moment the RVR drops to 800 mtrs. or less, the Met Department at the Airport shall continuously monitor the RVR trend and broadcast it from time to time. All airlines should also monitor this trend for planning their flights and for passenger facilitation.
· Once LVP commences, all agencies at IGI shall start taking respective action contained in the Procedure.
· Airlines shall ensure that only those pilots adequately trained and certified for Low Take-Off Minima are roastered for operating flights during low visibility conditions.
· The airlines should endeavour to sequence the departure of their respective flights in accordance with the Met Minima approved for their pilots.
· It will be individual responsibility of the airlines for revising Estimated Off Block Time of their flights in line with the visibility given by the Met Office and the availability of the pilots.
·Pilots while requesting for start up shall intimate the ATC about whether the crew is CAT IIIA/B or CAT II qualified. (Qualified crew will get priority for take offs).
13/12/06 Press Information Bureau (press release)

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