BENGALURU: The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has revoked the approval given to operate floodlights at night at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) as they are posing a risk to aircraft landing at the HAL Airport.
Despite HAL warning KGA multiple times, the harsh, bright lights were not being switched off, and pilots had complained to HAL about difficulty in operating their aircraft.
HAL first communicated to KGA on January 12, asking it to switch off the floodlights, citing that non-compliance would be a violation of Section 66 of the Aircraft Rules of 1937, Part 1 - Series 4 of the Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs), and the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam (Indian Aircraft Act) of 2024.
As per the letter written by HAL General Manager V Sri Krishna Prasad to KGA Honorary Secretary Madhur Sood on January 20, KGA not only failed to comply with the directions sent on January 12, but also disregarded repeated instructions sent on January 16 and 17 by keeping the floodlights on. As pilots had continued to complain to HAL about the harsh lights, the approval was withdrawn.
Sood told TNIE, “The floodlights will not be on today (January 26)”, but declined to comment further, adding that he was out of station.
‘Floodlights pose safety risk at HAL Airport’
Strong lights and lasers have been known to affect the visibility of pilots while taking off and landing. Runways do have lights that are critical for safe operations and are called precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights. They guide pilots to the correct glide slope for landing. The presence of other lights – especially in low-visibility conditions – can distract them.
“The HAL Airport is in the middle of the town. Floodlights can haze out PAPI lights and pilots have previously confused the Old Airport Road for a runway as well. Runway 09 at HAL Airport is prone to this.
The floodlights can be disorienting for pilots,” said Captain Arvind Sharma, a former commercial pilot. In February 14, 1990, the pilots of an Indian Airlines Airbus A320-231 misjudged their glide slope, and crashed short of the runway on KGA grounds. Itkilled 92 of 146 people on board, including the two pilots.