Juhu airport soon to get night landing facility

In a development which could give boost use of more helicopters for medical ambulance purpose, Airport Authority of India is finally giving final touches to the plan of starting night landing facility at Juhu airport. A meeting regarding the same was held on Friday, where all stakeholders were called to give their view points.

Juhu airport, which is considered as the oldest civil aviation airport in the country, so far operates only till sunset due to lack of night landing facilities. This acts as hindrance, especially since government-owned ONGC runs its operation at High Seas using Juhu airport for take off and landing of its helicopters. Other several big and small private charter operators operating from there.

Currently, the medical helicopter ambulances can land/take-off only during the day time. Further, the ambulances are allowed to operate from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport till evening. But that affects the normal flight movement which anyway are at its peak during the rush hour," said a senior Airport Authority of India (AAI) official who is overlooking the development of the case.

"The development will also help ONGC and other operators in not only expanding their business hours and therefore provide impetus to economy and tourism growth," said an airport operator operating from the airport.

Juhu airport at present sees around 100 flight movements on an average per day which are done mainly on helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.