Code-B aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to be the first aircraft to touch down at the 3,050-metre runway of the Kannur airport, coming up at Mattannur.
The Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL) authorities are to submit a formal letter soon to the IAF seeking clearance for the landing of the Code-B aircraft without passengers under Visual Flight Rules.
Several airlines, including Air India Express, have evinced interest in operating the first test flight to the airport coming up at a cost of Rs.1,892 crore.
The commercial flight operations from Kannur would commence in mid-2016 once the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued the mandatory clearance, official sources said.
The KIAL authorities held discussions with Group Captain Bushan Kaushal and Group Captain Sunil Nair of the Southern Air Command and Captain Pankaj Chauhan of INS Garuda here recently on the proposed Defence Enclave in the Kannur airport.
Defence enclaves
The Indian Navy, IAF, and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) are to set up separate defence enclaves at the 800-hectare airport to augment air surveillance along the coast. Each of the services is to be given four hectares of land on long-term lease, against a token rent. The land identified is besides the operational apron of the airport and the enclaves will have taxi link to the runway.
Defence officials had given nod for the enclave in view of the strategic location of the airport.
KIAL Managing Director G. Chandramouli told The Hindu here on Friday that 60 per cent work on the runway and 50 per cent on the integrated terminal complex had been completed. The works were on as per schedule to enable the test flight in December.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) would install the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) at the airport. The Surface Instruments Division of the IMD Pune had already initiated steps to procure instruments for the AWOS to ensure safety and efficiency of aircraft operations, the sources said.
KIAL Additional Project Engineer K.S. Shibhu Kumar said steps had been initiated to procure the lifts, baggage handling system, passenger boarding bridges, and the four Airfield Crash Fire Tenders.
Air traffic control
Communication Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) officials from the AAI headquarters recently visited the site and reviewed the work on the Air Traffic Control building and CNS facility. The DGCA team has already carried out two rounds of site inspection.
Regional Deputy Commissioner of Security (Southern Region), BCAS, Intelligence Bureau, Customs and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel also carried out joint inspections to asses the security needs of the airport and to work out the arrangements.
Progress so far
60 per cent of runway work completed
50 per cent of integrated terminal over
Discussions on for defence enclaves
The commercial flight operations from Kannur will commence in
mid-2016 once the DGCA) issues the mandatory clearance.
