Dense fog: At least 2 int’l, 3 domestic flights diverted

MP, 16 Jan 2023, Kolkata: Owing to dense fog in the early morning, at least five flights, including two international flights, were diverted from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport in Kolkata. 

On Sunday morning, a thick fog enveloped the city and districts, leading to low visibility. According to the regional meteorological department, the forecast for Sunday, 15 January, was fog/mist in the morning and a partly cloudy sky later in the day. 

The minimum temperature hovered at around 18 degrees Celsius while the maximum was 28 degree Celsius. 

The forecast has also predicted fog on January 16 morning. A heavy fog settled in on Sunday morning, -especially near the airport area, New Town and Salt Lake. 

According to an airport source, at least five Indigo flights were diverted in the morning between 4 am to 6 am. In the arrival schedule of Kolkata airport, at 4 am, Indigo’s Kolkata –Bangkok flight 6E78 got diverted to Nagpur. 

At 4:50 am, another flight Kolkata- Hyderabad (6E6494) got diverted to Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. At 4:55 am, a Kolkata-Hanoi flight (6E1379) was also diverted to Biju Patnaik International Airport. 

At 5:10 am, a Kolkata-Delhi flight (6E2106) was again diverted to the same airport in Odisha. At 5:50 am, a Kolkata-Goa flight (6E6526) was diverted to Bhubaneshwar. The source said that as the day proceeded, the fog cleared allowing good visibility to the pilots. 

The Kolkata airport has a category III B (CAT III B) instrument landing system (ILS) that allows pilots to land or take off in a 50 m visibility range. 

The ILS also has an approach lighting system (ALS) that assists the pilot in transitioning from instrument to visual flight and to align the aircraft visually with the runway centerline. ALS helps the pilot to continue descending, for landing, towards the runway even when the runway lights are invisible due to fog or heavy rainfall. 

The airport source said that CAT III B ILS helps a pilot to operate in a visibility range of 175-50 metres but not below 50. 

The ALS guides the aircraft from the runway upto the parking bay. The system also follows a procedure called ‘low visibility procedure ‘which ensures a safe grounding by limiting vehicle movement and clearance before landing and take-off of the aircraft. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/dense-fog-at-least-2-intl-3-domestic-flights-diverted-505514