THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The instrument landing system (ILS) at the international airport here has been lying defunct for around one month, putting passengers’ safety at risk.
The ILS provides lateral and vertical guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway using radio signals.
It is extremely useful during adverse weather conditions like low visibility. The ILS here was replaced by a new one, but it is yet to be calibrated. Officials say there are some errors in the civil works for installing the new unit. The commissioning of the new system is also being delayed owing to the non-availability of a calibrating aircraft.The Airports Authority of India officials say the calibrating flight will arrive in a few days. The errors in the civil works have been rectified, they say.
The AAI’s timing of the shifting of the ILS has invited criticism from airlines. Sources say the AAI ignored the airport operation wing’s advice to select a fair weather period for the process.
“Special care should be taken while replacing an existing system. The AAI should have considered the possibility of technical glitches and the resultant absence of the system,” they say.