IndiGo and DGCA Successfully Test New Landing Procedure at Kathmandu Airport
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and IndiGo successfully conducted a validation flight using the Required Navigation Performance with Authorization Required (RNP AR) approach at Kathmandu Airport on Wednesday.
What is RNP AR?
RNP AR approaches are a type of navigation guidance used for landing at airports with challenging terrain or environmental conditions. This approach offers several advantages, including enhanced safety through greater precision accuracy and a more stabilized approach. It also reduces operational inefficiencies and lowers the landing minima.
The Successful Flight
An IndiGo A320 aircraft completed the flight, making it the first validation flight conducted by DGCA of the RNP AR procedure. An all-women inspectors team from DGCA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal were on board to oversee the validation flight.
Benefits of RNP AR
The key benefits of this successful validation include increased safety in complex environments, enhanced operational efficiency, lower fuel burn, and reduced carbon footprint. Pilots must undergo specialized simulator training to operate and conduct RNP AR approaches, and the aircraft must be properly equipped for this advanced approach.
Future Implications
DGCA has called this achievement a collaborative effort between the regulator and the airline, paving the way for other operators to seek qualification and approval through the established process. This approval underlines DGCA’s commitment to advancing aviation safety standards and operational excellence, ensuring safer and more efficient flights at one of the world’s most demanding airports.
Doubts Revealed
IndiGo -: IndiGo is a popular airline in India that flies people to different places in the country and around the world.
DGCA -: DGCA stands for Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It is a government body in India that makes rules and checks if airplanes and airports are safe.
Validation flight -: A validation flight is a test flight to check if new procedures or equipment work correctly and safely.
Required Navigation Performance with Authorization Required (RNP AR) -: RNP AR is a special way of guiding airplanes to land using advanced technology, making it safer and more efficient.
Kathmandu Airport -: Kathmandu Airport is the main airport in Nepal, a country next to India.
A320 aircraft -: An A320 aircraft is a type of airplane made by a company called Airbus. It is commonly used by airlines for carrying passengers.
All-women inspectors team -: An all-women inspectors team means that the group of people checking the flight were all women, showing that women can do important jobs in aviation too.
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal -: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal is a government body in Nepal that makes sure airplanes and airports in Nepal are safe.
Operational efficiency -: Operational efficiency means doing things in a way that saves time, money, and resources.
Carbon footprint -: Carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide (a gas that can harm the environment) that is released into the air by activities like flying airplanes.
