Come winter, travelers arriving at Patna by air will find the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport operationally more efficient as it strives to mitigate the impacts of fog on delays. Fog is quite common in Patna, where it can drop visibility to as low as 550 meters. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has plans to construct 12 High-Mast Light Towers along the length of the airfield, within a 900-meter stretch.
In Patna, the average fog can drop visibility to as low as 550 meters. If the visibility is below 1000 meters, it poses a lot of problems. Under such circumstances, it is commonplace to see flight cancellations and delays since visibility is such a critical component for airline operations.
If the operational towers indeed function to limit it, it is believed that flight disruptions during winters would be at a minimum, which would enhance operational reliability.
An Overview of the High Mast Tower Project
The towers will be equipped with 40 lamps each and are expected to enhance illumination in and around the runway to the surrounding areas. The design will further enhance guided safe scheduling by improving visibility during critical phases of flight, yawing during takeoff and landing.
This project is part of a "Nationwide Modernization of Regional Airports Initiative" for the AAI. These particularly target areas with low visibility issues. Similar high mast lighting systems have been successfully implemented at various airports in India, which has bolstered operational reliability and improved safety at those facilities.
Land Clearance Challenges
The project has many hurdles, despite the apparent advantages. The Patna Zoo has been asked by AAI to provide land to construct the towers, and the zoo management is worried about tree demolition and loss of land.
The zoo is in communication with the state's forestry division and has asked the airport to formulate a detailed proposal, which will be submitted through the forest division's entry portal. To reduce the impact of the zoo, the zoo also suggested a land exchange.
These types of construction projects usually take a long time to obtain the necessary approvals, as the AAI has to deal with several entities of the Government. The Government also has to deal with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The DGCA has to ensure the large-scale lighting projects meet all safety standards and that all the requirements related to the environment are taken care of.
The airport's customers will be further improved. The last Patna airport winter flights have been utilized, but instead, they have been found trapped in the dense fog that plagues other schedules.
'They' believe that the fog disabling the high mast lights will eliminate most missed flights. The airline and Patna focus on fog and can forecast with price certainty and reliable groundwater schedules for winter.
The main concerns are the security for the airport activities, and emergency services for ground and air, and after visibility problems in fog.
The wildlife and green areas are the main problems the AAI holds, but the other local branches tend to focus on other things.
To address the issues at hand, measures such as compensatory land use, reforestation initiatives, and planning to soften the impact of the lights on the land will be considered. It is hoped that the airport, the forest services, and the local stakeholders can make this a win-win situation on the safety and environmental balance.
Future Prospects
The addition of high mast lights to Patna Airport is a pivotal milestone toward advances in aviation in the area. Officials believe that reducing the operational stall during periods of extremely heavy weather and increasing the buyer flow to the region depends on modifying the facilities.
Once the project is sanctioned and brought to life, travelers will be able to experience a smoother takeoff and landing at the airport. The AAI, along with other authorities, is focused on solving the problems that exist to further enhance the operational level at the airport.
Patna Airport Signals that investment in infrastructure and technology will bolster the safety, reliability, and convenience of air travel. The absence of lights during the initial phase, however, means that winter flights to and from Patna are anticipated to be less tedious, smoother, and more secure.