f7i\ : (033) 2511-9520 'V : (033) 2511-2998 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS' GUILD (INDIA) EASTERN REGION, ATS COMPLEX, - 700 052 Ref. ATCGIERI S"lt- 5 S...! :.9..:.. 20.11... To The Regional Executive Director Eastern Region Airports Authority of Lndia NSCBI Airport Kolkata- 700 052. Sir, Sub: Construction of ATC Tower at Kolkata Airport. We would like to refer to our earlier correspondences bearing letter numbers A TCG/E/13-14 dated 07.12.2016, ATCG/ER/25-28 dated 09.01.2017, ATCG/ER/31 dated 18.01.2017 and ATCG/ER/39-40 dated 23.01.2017 to you and letter number ATCG/ER/47 dated 03.02.2017 to the Member (Operations) respectively on the subject mentioned above. We take this opportunity to submit a detailed technical and operational study on the requirement of tallest and iconic A TC Tower at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata undertaken by ATC Guild (India), ER, a professional body. We are confident that AAI Management will appreciate the sincere and honest endeavours of our members for construction of 112 Metres Iconic ATC Tower cum Technical Block at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata. Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India), Eastern Region humbly requests your kind honour for an early and appropriate action for rollback of the Notice issued on 15 1h January, 2017 inviting e-tenders for the composite work of "Construction of ATC Tower and Technical Block at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata" with the height of ATC Tower of 57 Metres under the light of this review and realistic proposal of construction of new A TC Control Tower at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata. This will help AAI management to keep their promise of constructing a 112 Metres tall ATC tower at NSCBI Airport to prove again its reputation and status of a world class infrastructure and service. Thanking you and assuring you of our best of co-operation for all the times, Yours faithfully, (Kailash Pati Mandai) Regional Secretary Encl: As stated. Copy to: 1. The General Secretary, ATC Guild (India), T-1/7, Pocket 'B', INA Colony, New Delhi- 110 023.
NEED FOR AN ICONIC TOWER ATC Control Tower all over the world has been a landmark addition to the city skyline. Therefore generally Control Towers are designed by great architects with unique designs and become signature of the city. While the Control Towers become an iconic structure of the city, also serve the operational needs of Air Traffic Control for provision of safe, orderly and expeditious flow of aerodrome traffic. Present Air Traffic Control Tower at Kolkata is 40 years old. While city like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai etc have new ATC Towers, Kolkata has waited long for a New Control Tower. Naturally the expectation of the aviation community is to have an iconic modern tower, tall enough to serve the purpose. The AAI publicity of India s tallest iconic tower at Kolkata gave the city as well as ATC a lot of hopes. OPERATIONAL BENEFITS OF 112 METER TOWER: With a 112 meter high tower, the taxi lanes, taxiways and most of the parking stands will be clearly visible to the controllers. Thus safety of aircraft operation at the airport will increase because of 360 degree unhindered view. VHF antenna mounted on top of tower at greater height shall have better coverage and quality for efficient communication with aircraft.
AAI BRIEFING AAI has been publicising the upcoming Iconic ATC Tower at Kolkata from time to time in various newspapers and magazines. They have raised the hope and expectation of the city as well as the aviation community. Press Release of Airports Authority of India dated New Delhi, 13 th February, 2013 National dailies: The Hindu, dated 13 th May, 2013; The Telegraph, dated 2 nd September, 2014 and Millenium Post, dated 17 th October, 2016 respectively. Vol. IV Issue 5 of the magazine AIRPORTS INDIA ; published by the Airports Authority of India with the cover page TALLEST ATC TOWER IN INDIA IN KOLKATA AIRPORT.
LATEST NOTIFICATION COMPARISION: Distance of Tower from Nav-Aids It took almost 4 years to find a suitable location for Tower. Finally a Notice on the 15 th January 2017 inviting e-tenders for the composite work of Construction of ATC Tower and Technical Block at NSCBI Airport, Kolkata with the height of ATC Tower of 57 Metres. MUMBAI VOR 114.89 /1.27NM ASR 102.12 /0.75NM ELDIS2 99.52 /.84NM ELDIS1 162.12 /.54NM MSSR(JUHU) 269.16 /1.21NM The reason for this reduction is understood to be the location of the proposed tower within the primary area of the VOR approaches of runway 01 L/R. However, the location of ATC tower in Delhi and Mumbai which have towers of 101.9 meters and 83.8 meters respectively are also well within primary area of VOR approaches for different runways. A comparative study of distance of Tower from Nav aids is given beside for reference. Clearly Kolkata has an advantage. KOLKATA VOR(CEA) 201.6 /1.32NM ASR 102.12 /ELDIS 234.4 /0.76NM DELHI VOR(DPN) 6.18 /.64NM VOR(DIG) 216.16 /1.05NM ASR(NORTH) 41.4 /0.83NM ASR(SOUTH) 199.8 /1.013NM ARSR- 230 /2.59NM
FEASIBILITY OF 112 M TOWER. LIMITATIONS AND MITIGATION PLAN For construction of a Tower of 112 meters at Kolkata it may be noted that Delhi and Mumbai Towers have been granted height of 101.8 meters and 83.8 meters respectively despite being located within the primary area of VOR approaches. It is learnt that Mumbai Tower was granted present height of 83.8 meters after an appeal by the airport operator defininging it as an essential facility for airport operation which resulted in an aeronautical study and subsequent permission of the height. Kolkata Tower can be granted a height of 112 meters by the same process. LIMITATION: The height of 112 meters for the tower will increase the OCA for the Non-Precision approaches for RWY 01L/R. This will result in an increased visibility minima for these approaches. Presently the OCA for VOR RWY 01L is 440 feet and minima is 1500m which may go upto 620 feet and a minima of 1900m (roughly). MITIGATION: However these limitations shall have very little effect on operation because; As Kolkata is having RWY 19L-Cat-II, 19R Cat-I and 01R-Cat-III Instrument Landing Systems (ILS). Non-precision approaches are seldom used. The unserviceability reports of these ILS are almost NIL. Visibility remains 2000m or above for 90% of the days in an year Minimum sector altitude shall not be affected. Any penetration of obstacle limitation surfaces shall be mitigated through an aeronautical study/crm.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES CONCLUSION The following other possibilities may also be explored. APV BARO-VNAV Procedures for all runways: As GAGAN has started operation, the promulgation of APV BARO-VNAV Procedures may be expedited. This shall result in enhanced safety while lowering the OCA. As such India has agreed to implement this type of PBN approaches as required by ICAO. Another low power VOR may be installed at Kolkata at a suitable place and procedure may be developed keeping the 112 meter tower clear of primary areas. The main VOR may serve as the homing VOR. Airports like Delhi and Vizag have such second VORs.. Installation of Cat-I ILS for runway 01L. We are in an era of privatisation. AAI as a public sector is in fierce competition with the private operators. We have lived upto the expectation of the public by giving them some state of the art passenger terminals comparable to those operated by private operators. This is the time when AAI can construct the tallest Control Tower of India and prove its reputation and status of a world class organization in public sector who can provide world class infrastructure and service. The whole aviation community shall stand by AAI in its effort. Presented by Air Traffic Controllers Guild (India), Eastern Region