BENGALURU: HAL Airport in Bengaluru has become the first airport in India to operationalise a satellite-guided helicopter approach procedure, a move expected to improve safety, shorten flight times and make helicopter operations more reliable in challenging weather conditions.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) said on Friday that the Required Navigation Performance Category H (RNP CAT H) approach, developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), has been designed specifically for helicopters.
The procedure was validated through flight trials conducted by HAL test pilots and subsequently approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), HAL said.
The satellite-based navigation system allows helicopters to follow highly accurate and optimised flight paths, helping them negotiate terrain and urban obstacles more safely, particularly during adverse weather conditions.
According to HAL, the new procedure reduces the approach time to HAL Airport from around 12 minutes to about four minutes.
HAL chairman and managing director Ravi K described the operationalisation of the country’s first RNP CAT H helicopter approach as a significant milestone for India’s aviation sector.
The new capability is expected to improve the safety, efficiency and accessibility of helicopter operations, while potentially serving as a model for similar procedures at other airports, he said.
Beyond reducing flight times, the system could improve airspace utilisation by enabling smoother coordination between helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft movements. More precise flight paths are also expected to reduce the noise footprint of helicopter operations over densely populated urban areas.
The shorter and more predictable approach routes could be particularly useful for air ambulance and search-and-rescue operations, where every minute can be critical.
HAL Airport handles nearly 50 helicopter movements a day, making it one of India’s busiest helicopter hubs.
The introduction of the RNP CAT H procedure addresses a longstanding gap in India’s helicopter navigation infrastructure and could pave the way for wider adoption of satellite-guided helicopter approaches at airports across the country.
