DGCA and IndiGo completed the first satellite-based landing approach on a jet aircraft using ISRO's GAGAN system, reducing reliance on ground-based navigation aids.
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DGCA and IndiGo completed the first satellite-based landing approach on a jet aircraft in India, using the GAGAN navigation system. An IndiGo Airbus A320 performed a precision approach and landing at Udaipur's Maharana Pratap Airport, the regulator said.
GAGAN – the GPS-aided geo augmented navigation system developed by ISRO and the Airports Authority of India – had previously been used only on turboprop aircraft. The trial on a jet expands the system's operational scope and moves it closer to routine use.
The system works by augmenting GPS signals with satellite corrections and ground reference stations. It provides lateral and vertical guidance down to Category I precision-approach standards, allowing aircraft to land in low visibility without the ground-based instrument landing system. For airports without ILS, or where ILS is out of service, GAGAN offers an alternative.
DGCA said the trial was part of a broader plan to certify GAGAN for regular jet operations. IndiGo, India's largest airline by market share, was the launch operator. The civil aviation ministry has pushed for greater use of indigenous navigation technology across Indian airspace.
India joins the US, Europe, Japan, and a handful of other countries that operate a satellite-based augmentation system. The local system reduces dependence on foreign ground infrastructure and gives Indian airlines a navigation tool that can work at more airfields.
The Udaipur test comes as Indian aviation regulators aim to modernize air traffic management and cut delays. Satellite-based approaches can open up alternate landing options when primary runways are closed, and can lower minimum descent altitudes at airports surrounded by terrain.
No date has been set for full operational certification. DGCA said further trials on different aircraft types and airports are required before GAGAN becomes available for scheduled jet operations.
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