BENGALURU: HAL Airport in Bengaluru has become the first airport in India to operationalise a satellite-guided helicopter approach procedure, a move expected to improve safety, reduce flight times and enable more reliable all-weather operations.“The Required Navigation Performance Category H (RNP CAT H) approach, developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), is designed exclusively for helicopters. The procedure was validated through flight trials by HAL test pilots and approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” HAL said Friday.The new approach, it added, enables helicopters to fly highly accurate, optimised flight paths using satellite-based navigation, allowing them to safely negotiate terrain and urban obstacles while operating in adverse weather conditions.According to HAL, the procedure cuts the approach time to HAL Airport from around 12 minutes to about 4 minutes.“The operationalisation of India’s first RNP CAT H helicopter approach is a significant milestone for the country’s aviation ecosystem. This capability enhances the safety, efficiency and accessibility of helicopter operations and establishes a benchmark for similar procedures to be implemented at airports across the country,” HAL chairman and managing director Ravi K said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesBesides improving safety, the system is expected to enhance operational efficiency and airspace capacity by allowing smoother integration of helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft movements. It also reduces the noise footprint over urban areas by enabling more precise flight paths.The faster approach routes are expected to benefit time-critical operations such as air ambulance services and search-and-rescue missions. HAL Airport, which handles nearly 50 helicopter movements every day, is one of the country’s busiest helicopter hubs. The introduction of the RNP CAT H procedure addresses a long-standing gap in India’s aviation infrastructure and could serve as a model for similar helicopter navigation procedures at other airports.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorChethan KumarChethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India. Aside from specialising in Space & Science, he has reported extensively on varied topics, with special focus on defence, policy and data stories. He has covered multiple elections, too. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, Chethan feels, there are reels of tales emerging which need to be captured. To do this, he alternates between the mundane goings-on of the Common Man and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and soldiers. In a career spanning nearly 18 years, he has reported from multiple datelines — Houston, Florida, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Sriharikota (AP), NH-1 (J&K Highway), New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Raichur, Bhatkal, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, to name a few — but is based out of Bengaluru, India’s science capital that also hosts the ISRO HQ.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosJharkhand JPSC Protest: Hunger Striker Hospitalised After Four Days As Students Continue AgitationTamil Nadu CM Vijay’s Wife Sangeetha Withdraws Divorce Petition, Family Court Allows Withdrawal’Proof Of Corruption?’ JPSC Aspirant Makes Explosive Claims As Student Protests Intensify In RanchiExplained: Why PM Modi Asked NDA MPs To Avoid The ‘Lutyens’ Web’ And Stay Focused On Public OutreachBeyond BrahMos: Why Drones And Smart Weapons Could Become India’s Next Defence Export Boom?Gen-Alpha Grabs Spotlight At Ranchi JPSC-JSSC Protest As 13-Year-Old Zaid’s Appeal Goes ViralCentre Opposes Creamy Layer For SC-ST Quota, Says Discrimination Goes Beyond Economic StatusIAF’s : Bhawana Kanth Earns ‘Top Gun’ Title, Shivani Sehrawat Becomes Army Chief’s ADC’Cancel Exams, Take Action’: Jharkhand LoP Babulal Marandi Slams Soren Govt, Backs Student ProtestsContent Creator Ayush Rana On Jharkhand Protest Funding, Viral Videos, Dhoni’s Silence & More123PhotostoriesWhy marinating meat is important and 6 mistakes to avoid5 budget-friendly celebrity beauty hacks that actually work7 traditional Goan breads you need to try at least onceTaarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah fame Shailesh Lodha’s luxurious home: A cozy lounge, a stunning balcony and moreNational Handloom Day: 5 Indian handlooms that carry the legacy of the cities they were born inYour immune system has an age of its own: Doctors explain how to tell if it’s ageing faster than you are, and what you can do about itDid Tom Holland really make Zendaya sign a ‘No Kissing’ prenup? 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BENGALURU: HAL Airport in Bengaluru has become the first airport in India to operationalise a satellite-guided helicopter approach procedure, a move expected to improve safety, reduce flight times and enable more reliable all-weather operations.“The Required Navigation Performance Category H (RNP CAT H) approach, developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), is designed exclusively for helicopters. The procedure was validated through flight trials by HAL test pilots and approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” HAL said Friday.The new approach, it added, enables helicopters to fly highly accurate, optimised flight paths using satellite-based navigation, allowing them to safely negotiate terrain and urban obstacles while operating in adverse weather conditions.According to HAL, the procedure cuts the approach time to HAL Airport from around 12 minutes to about 4 minutes.“The operationalisation of India’s first RNP CAT H helicopter approach is a significant milestone for the country’s aviation ecosystem. This capability enhances the safety, efficiency and accessibility of helicopter operations and establishes a benchmark for similar procedures to be implemented at airports across the country,” HAL chairman and managing director Ravi K said.
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Besides improving safety, the system is expected to enhance operational efficiency and airspace capacity by allowing smoother integration of helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft movements. It also reduces the noise footprint over urban areas by enabling more precise flight paths.The faster approach routes are expected to benefit time-critical operations such as air ambulance services and search-and-rescue missions. HAL Airport, which handles nearly 50 helicopter movements every day, is one of the country’s busiest helicopter hubs. The introduction of the RNP CAT H procedure addresses a long-standing gap in India’s aviation infrastructure and could serve as a model for similar helicopter navigation procedures at other airports.
