Jet Airways has received approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for CAT II authorisation of its ATR 72 – 500/600 fleet for low visibility operations. The CAT II authorisation from the DGCA makes Jet Airways the first Indian airline to receive these approvals for turboprop aircraft operations.
The DGCA authorisation is applicable on Low Visibility Take Off (LVTO) with a Runway Visual Range (RVR) of 125 meters and landing with RVR capability of 300 metres. This will give a major fillip to Jet Airways’ ATR operations during the winter months, especially for operations from fog-affected airports in northern India.
Captain Nikhil Ved, senior vice president, flight operations, Jet Airways, said, “The CAT II authorisation for our ATR fleet is an important milestone for Jet Airways. It will enable Jet Airways to significantly enhance flight operations on ATR routes, especially during winter, and also help us improve on-time performance. It also bears testimony to our commitment for enhanced guest safety by introducing advanced systems, processes and products.”
ATRs have been an integral part of Jet Airways’ fleet and have enabled the airline to develop regional connectivity in India by putting smaller airports on the route map. Jet Airways currently operates ATR flights to 35 destinations across India, connecting metro cities to Tier II destinations such as Aizawl, Bhopal, Dehradun, Diu, Gorakhpur, Indore, Imphal, Madurai and Silchar.
All ATR aircraft in Jet Airways’ fleet have Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) technology and also come equipped with Flight Management System (FMS) technology that can be programmed to fly each flight segment and manage the aircraft’s fuel economy performance.
