This week marked the inaugural turboprop aircraft flight at Noida International Airport, initiating the calibration of its ground-based radio navigation system. Situated in Jewar, approximately 75 km from Delhi, the airport is on track to commence commercial operations by year’s end.
Yesterday, the airport too to X to say, “A bright and sunny day at #NIAirport set the perfect stage for a DVOR calibration flight, the first of many. The Beechcraft King Air B300 took to the skies, to ensure all @aai_official navigation equipment works flawlessly. #FromTheGroundUp.”
What is a calibration flight?
As per officials, a calibration flight in aviation operations is carried out to validate and refine the precision of navigation equipment utilised at airports.
Throughout a calibration flight, specialised aircraft fitted with precise measurement instruments navigate predetermined patterns within the airport’s airspace.
These instruments gather data on the functionality of various navigation aids, including instrument landing systems (ILS), very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) stations, distance measuring equipment (DME), and Doppler VHF omnirange (DVOR) stations.
DVOR, short for Doppler VHF omnirange, constitutes a ground-based radio navigation system utilised by aircraft for navigation purposes. It provides pilots with precise details regarding their position and orientation concerning the DVOR station.
DVOR stations emit VHF radio signals that aircraft receive and interpret to ascertain their bearing from the station.
The significance of calibration flights and DVOR for an airport lies in assuring the safety and effectiveness of air navigation operations.
(With PTI inputs)
