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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Thursday granted special VFR (Visual Flight Rules) to Deoghar Airport in Jharkhand to improve flight operations during low-visibility.
DGCA, in a statement, said that the special VFR operations are being introduced for the first time for commercial flights and mark a paradigm shift that will address delays and cancellation of flights on account of low visibility and will pave the way for enhancing connectivity for other such smaller airfields thereby, promoting Udan/Regional Connectivity scheme of Government of India. The decision was taken on the basis of satisfactory flight trials and mitigation measures taken by operators, and approval for Special VFR to and from Deoghar was granted by DGCA. The statement by DGCA further read that subsequent to the licensing of Deoghar Airport on April 11, 2022, for day VFR operations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Deoghar Airport on July 12, 2022, for flight operations, marking a significant milestone in the region's aviation infrastructure. As per the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), the minimum visibility criteria for VFR operations is 5000 meters. It was observed that during low visibility at the Deoghar Airport, there were cancellations/delays of flights to/from Deoghar. After extensive consultations with the stakeholders with a view to ensuring regularity of operations, an extensive study on the scope of Special VFR was conducted keeping in mind the international regulations and best practices worldwide. Stakeholders including scheduled operators, air navigation service providers and airport operators were engaged for comprehensive evaluation which included a safety risk assessment and mitigation process. Following these deliberations, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was formulated by the operator and approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Simultaneously, the control zone and approach control unit at Deoghar were established for conducting special VFR operations. Pilot training and Air Traffic Control Officer training were conducted to ensure the seamless implementation of the established procedures. To validate the efficacy of the procedures and coordination among Airline Operators, Pilots, Air Traffic Control (ATC), and the Air Force, a flight trial was conducted. This flight trial (with no passengers onboard), with a Flight Operation Inspector on board, demonstrated the procedures in real-time which was followed by satisfactory validation flights. (ANI)
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