A passenger flight complete with crew members and staff of the Airports Authority of India will carry out a trial run at the Noida International Airport marking a major milestone in operational readiness. The exercise will include technical assessment, landing and takeoff manoeuvres from the airport’s runaway. Data collected during the exercise conducted jointly by AAI’s technical team and the airport staff will be submitted with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for examination.
Once approved the authorities will apply for an aerodrome license which is mandatory for operations to start. Validation flights also called proving flights are integral to the certification process, ensuring compliance with safety, reliability and operational standards.
As part of the DGCA manual these flights simulate real world operations to evaluate compatibility of the airports infrastructure, procedure and systems with regulatory requirements. Before the validation flight extensive preparations are undertaken, including developing a schedule of events to outline tests and timelines. The aircraft will carry out multiple takeoffs, landings and taxiing manouvres to evaluate runway conditions, grip levels, obstacle clearance, lighting functionality and taxiway connectivity.
After the first trial exercise, airline partners Akasa and Indigo, may conduct their own operational exercises at the airport. Once those are done, the airport will apply for an aerodrome licence, which is expected in 90 days.
According to officials 85% of the project’s first phase is completed. For instance, the airport’s 3.9 km runway is fully operational and the terminal building is nearing completion. The ATC Tower, standing 38 metres tall is ready and its communication systems will be a focal point of the first trial.
