Air India wants a change in ‘approach’, save more fuel

National carrier Air India has asked the airport authority of India (AAI) to allow its aircrafts to land with constant descent approach at the runway, which would allow it to save more fuel. This approach allows for a constant-angle descent or landing in a straight slant as opposed to step-by-step dip descent.

The airline has been holding regular meetings with the AAI to raise the issue. Sources said the AAI has not arrived at a conclusion yet. Aviation experts on the other hand said the proposal is a waste of time as constant approach can lead to an accident or near miss.

According to sources from the airline, as part of its environment conservation programme, the airline had come up with the proposal, and talks with the AAI were on. Airline sources said that if the proposal gets a green signal from the AAI, then the airline would not only be able to save fuel but also foreign exchange, as fuel consumption would go down. This in turn would bring down the cost of tickets, said officials.

Explaining the conventional method of descent, aviation expert N.T. Rao said that while flying the pilot brings down the altitude of the aircraft, by taking a mini dip before flying straight in the air for sometime. The pilot continues this cycle of taking a dip and then flying straight over small intervals, he said.

Ujjawal Thengadi, another aviation expert, however, said constant descent approach was risky as it could lead to near misses. “The ATC needs to be more alert if this method of descent is implemented as aircrafts can come too close to each other.”

An air traffic control department official said the proposal could be implemented at certain airports only where the air traffic managers have low workload.