Satellite navigation launch by 2008

AVIATION INDUSTRY SPREADS ITS WINGS

India is on the verge of entering the big league in global aviation with the launch of satellite-based navigation system, Gagan, next year, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said today.

Gagan, (global navigation satellite system-aided geo augmented navigation), being developed jointly by the Airports Authority of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation, will be launched in 2008.

"Having such an advanced system will launch India into the future. It is the next generation of technology, which will enable handling of large volumes of air traffic," Patel said, while inaugurating the International Civil Aviation Organisation's navigational systems panel meet here.

Patel said there was an urgent need to upgrade technical skills to make Indian skies safe and secure, on a par with the best in the world.Observing that air traffic was increasing rapidly "almost at an alarming rate", "India will match and bring its systems on a par with any aviation power," Patel said.

Systems similar to Gagan are being developed by the US, the European Union and Japan.On Gagan, AAI Chairman K Ramalingam said the technology demonstration phase of the system had "shown better than expected results". The system was now being integrated with the geo-stationary satellite INMARSAT-4F1.

"Encouraged by its initial success, it has now been decided to initiate the final operational phase, in which its coverage area will be extended to the oceanic airspace also," Ramalingam said.

To meet the fog problem, he said the second runway at Delhi airport was being upgraded to CAT-IIIB instrument landing system, while CAT-II capabilities were being created in Kolkata, Jaipur, Amritsar and Lucknow.