IndiGo becomes first airline to land aircraft using GAGAN

IndiGo became the first airline in the country to land aircraft using the indigenous navigation system GAGAN with Localiser Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) approach.

This is a huge step for Indian Civil Aviation and a firm step towards Atma Nirbhar Bharat, as India becomes the third country in the world to have their own SBAS system after the USA and Japan. India is the first country in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve this.

The flight was conducted using an ATR-72 aircraft and landed at the Kishangarh airport in Rajasthan using GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation (GAGAN). GAGAN has been jointly developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

GAGAN is used to provide lateral and vertical guidance when an aircraft is approaching a runway for landing. It is designed to provide the additional accuracy, availability, and integrity necessary to enable users to rely on GPS for all phases of flight, from en route through approach for all qualified airports within the GAGAN service volume. It will also provide the capability for increased accuracy in position reporting, allowing for more uniform and high-quality Air Traffic Management (ATM).

This test flight is a part of the approval process with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which includes training of pilots, validation of approach, simulator sessions among others. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a mandate for all aircraft registered in India after July 1, 2021 to be fitted with GAGAN equipment.

Ronojoy Dutta, whole-time Director and CEO, IndiGo, said, “GAGAN will be a game-changer for civil aviation, leading to modernisation of the airspace, reducing flight delays, bringing in fuel savings and improving flight safety.”