Bhubaneswar: In a major boost to Biju Patnaik airport's operational efficiency, the Airport Authority of India ( AAI) has extended its communication access jurisdiction from 70 nautical miles to 175 nautical miles. The airport can now communicate with pilots of flights up to 350 km (175 nautical miles) in the air. This has been done in view of increasing air traffic, airport sources said.
Earlier, communication with flights was not possible once they flew beyond 150 km (70 nautical miles), as they used to enter a dark zone (where communication between the air traffic control and the pilot fails), forcing the Bhubaneswar air traffic control (ATC) to depend on Kolkata ATC. The recent move will end Biju Patnaik airport's dependence on NSC Bose Airport in Kolkata.
09/01/13 Riyan Ramanath V/Times of India
