Watch: Pilot’s Eye View Shows First Aircraft Calibration Flight At Noida International Airport

Noida International Airport: The calibration flights, using a Beechcraft King Air B300, will ensure seamless functionality of navigation equipment, including DVOR stations, which provide precise positional information to aircraft.

In a significant milestone for the Noida International Airport, a crucial step towards operational readiness was taken this week with the commencement of calibration of its ground-based radio navigation system. Located in Jewar, approximately 75 kilometers from Delhi, this greenfield facility is gearing up to commence commercial operations by the year's end. Under clear skies, the inaugural Doppler VHF Omnidirectional Range (DVOR) calibration flight marked the initiation of this important process.

The Beechcraft King Air B300 ascended into the azure expanse, initiating a series of flights aimed at ensuring the seamless functionality of all navigation equipment overseen by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Noida International Airport's official X account shared a visual captured from the pilot’s eye view from the Beechcraft King Air B300.

On Thursday, the airport administration posted, "A bright and sunny day at #NIAirport set the perfect stage for a DVOR calibration flight, the first of many. The Beechcraft King Air B300 took to the skies, to ensure all @aai_official navigation equipment works flawlessly. #FromTheGroundUp"

Noida Airport: Calibration Flights And DVOR

Calibration flights play a pivotal role in verifying and fine-tuning the precision of navigation equipment pivotal for air traffic management, elucidated officials, as reported by news agency PTI. These specialised flights deploy sophisticated measurement instruments, traversing predetermined flight paths within the airport's airspace. Data gathered during these flights assesses the performance of critical navigation aids such as Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), Very High-Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) stations, Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), and the focal point of this operation, DVOR stations.

DVOR, an acronym for Doppler VHF Omnidirectional Range, stands as a linchpin in the arsenal of ground-based radio navigation systems utilised by aircraft. Its role lies in furnishing pilots with precise positional information relative to the DVOR station, thereby enhancing navigational accuracy. Emitting VHF radio signals, DVOR stations facilitate aircraft in determining their bearing from the station, thereby augmenting navigational capabilities.