Operators make suggestions for chopper corridors

Helicopter operators like Pawan Hans,Unitech Flying and Kestrel Aviation among others,which took part in the trials conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation last December...

Helicopter operators like Pawan Hans,Unitech Flying and Kestrel Aviation among others,which took part in the trials conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last December,have suggested some measures to improve the safety and efficiency of the dedicated chopper corridors at Mumbai airport.

We have asked them to send their suggestions to the DGCA directly and then decide if those are acceptable, said MG Jhungare,GM,Mumbai Air Traffic Control.

Dr Nasim Zaidi,DGCA,had earlier said that the separate air corridors would be operationalised soon through Airports Authority of Indias traffic management system,but did not specify the time frame.

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With Juhu airport barely a kilometre from CSIA,any chopper taking off from there has to first navigate in another direction because of constant flight movements at the Mumbai airport.

Although an aircrafts average ascending speed is about 3,000 feet per minute compared to a helicopters ascending speed of about 500 feet per minute,officials said that helicopters can still intrude into an aircrafts flight path and therefore it is not a safe practice.

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