IndiGo Becomes First Airline To Land Aircraft Using Indigenous Navigation System GAGAN

IndiGo has become the first airline in the country to land aircraft using the indigenous navigation system GAGAN. The news was confirmed by a statement issued on April 28.

The flight was conducted using an ATR-72 plane and landed at the Kishangarh airport in Rajasthan on April 27 morning, using GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation (GAGAN), which has been jointly developed by the Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the statement issued by IndiGo said.

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GAGAN provides lateral and vertical guidance when an aircraft approaches a runway for landing.

What will GAGAN do?

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The GAGAN has been designed to provide additional accuracy, availability, and integrity necessary to enable users to rely on GPS for all phases of flight, from en route through approach for all qualified airports within the GAGAN service volume.

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It will also enable increased accuracy in position reporting, allowing for more uniform and high-quality Air Traffic Management (ATM). Its precision is instrumental in small airports where the instrument landing system (ILS) has not been installed.

¡°In India¡¯s civil aviation sector, GAGAN will modernize the airspace, reduce flight delays, save fuel and improve flight safety,¡± the statement said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a mandate for all aircraft registered in India after July 1, 2021, to be fitted with GAGAN equipment.

(With PTI inputs)

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