New Delhi: In a significant step towards modernising aviation navigation systems, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has for the first time conducted a satellite-based landing system (SLS) approach on a jet engine aircraft in India, according to Saurabh Sinha's TOI report.
The exercise was carried out on an IndiGo Airbus A320 at Udaipur airport using the GAGAN (GPS-aided geo augmented navigation) system, jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Officials said the aircraft successfully executed a Localiser Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) approach, marking a key milestone in extending satellite-based navigation to jet operations. Until now, such procedures in India had been limited to turboprop aircraft.
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SLS enables aircraft to use satellite-based corrections for precision landings, reducing dependence on ground-based Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), particularly at airports without expensive precision landing infrastructure.
IndiGo had introduced LPV operations on its ATR fleet in 2022 and has since expanded satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS)-enabled navigation across its aircraft fleet.
“SBAS… enhances accuracy, integrity and availability of standard GNSS signals by broadcasting correction data from geostationary satellites,” said a senior pilot. “Instead of depending solely on equipment installed at airports, it allows pilots to receive precise horizontal and vertical guidance while approaching the runway,” he added.
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Officials said the development positions India among a select group of countries with an indigenous SBAS capability, with GAGAN expected to play a larger role in improving safety and efficiency at secondary airports in the coming years.
(With inputs from TOI)
