Umroi Airport
SHILLONG: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has started work on installation of Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range (DVOR) and aims to complete it by October.
DVOR is a standard International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) ground-based radio navigational aid that provides bearing information to aircraft to define air traffic control routes for en-route, terminal and instrument approach/departure procedures. DVOR when collocated with DME (Distance Measuring Instrument) provides both the angle and slant distance of aircraft with respect to ground station.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, Regional Executive Director of the AAI Sanjeev Jindal said that the system would help aircraft to land and take off even during poor visibility.
“This system would encourage airline companies to operate from here since they would be convinced they will have no cancellation of flights,” he said. Cancellation of flights in Shillong airport has been high especially during monsoon.
It may be mentioned that the airport has also got the license to install 3C category of instrument landing system (ILS) which will extend the visibility limit at the airport to 2800 metres.
It may be mentioned that now even Q400 aircraft can land at the airport and AAI has also invited different private airlines to operate from here.
The airport till date is connected by only one ATR aircraft between Shillong and Kolkata while Indigo is likely to start its services from next month.
Asked about the road inside the boundary wall of the airport which connects to a nearby village, he said that funds have been earmarked and a diversion road is being constructed.