Latest news with #MohanRanganathan
Time of India
14-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Over 100 obstacles in Thiruvananthapuram airport approach funnel: AAI data
Thiruvananthapuram: There are over 100 listed obstacles, including trees, buildings, hoardings, cellphone towers and overhead water tanks, in the approach funnel of airport here, as per the electronic terrain and obstacle data published by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). They may not pose an immediate danger, but they can become a serious problem in the event of an emergency, such as a loss of thrust or engine failure suspected in the recent Ahmedabad air crash. In such cases, a pilot will have very little space to manoeuvre the stricken aircraft. Many of these obstacles are 5m to over 15m above the permissible limit in the area. At least 16 of the 131 listed obstacles have been removed, including chimneys, buildings, mobile signal towers, overhead water tanks and communication antennas. The data is meant to serve as a live guide for airlines, pilots and air traffic controllers on the take-off and landing conditions at the airport. A pilot said the obstacles on the approach path do not typically interfere with normal flight operations, but could be a problem if an aircraft faces some emergency and loses altitude. "Obstacles exist around every airport due to residential areas. We have to be careful while flying in," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo An air traffic controller explained that obstacles can reduce the usable length of a runway because planes are given specific routing and altitude clearance during approaches to avoid the obstacles. "It's not as serious an issue as bird strikes at Thiruvananthapuram," he said. The airport operator, through AAI, issues no-objection certificates (NoCs) in accordance with the permissible height limits for constructions near the airport. An AAI official said, "People never used to apply for NoCs. That has changed now. But it's still difficult to determine if there's a violation." Pilots often report towers or new constructions that pose a safety risk to air traffic controllers. There is a need to create awareness about obstacles being a potential hazard to air safety and the lives of people living near airports, he added. An airport official said, "Many groups of trees and some buildings were cleared. We have issued notices to several other buildings." Air safety expert and former pilot Capt Mohan Ranganathan stressed that air safety issues must be addressed seriously, given the potential consequences. "...Simply listing obstacles and informing pilots or urging local authorities to act is not enough. Airport authorities must use modern technology to conduct terrain mapping frequently and ensure obstacle removal," he said. In 2019, AAI launched electronic terrain and obstacle data for five airports, including Thiruvananthapuram, to provide accurate information for flight safety. The system helps air traffic controllers design efficient procedures and routes, while allowing airlines to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. However, the govt is yet to expand it to other airports. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
New Indian Express
13-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Ahmedabad air crash: India's top aviation safety expert on what went wrong
The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 on the afternoon of June 12, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London, snuffed out valuable lives and has raised urgent questions about what went wrong. TNIE's S. Lalitha speaks to aviation expert Capt Mohan Ranganathan to know what went wrong.
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
All the possible Air India crash causes - from engine failure to pilot error
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London's Gatwick Airport erupted into a ball of fire just outside Ahmedabad Airport in western India after crashing into a college in a residential area Aviation experts are scrambling to offer theories after the tragic Air India crash yesterday saw a plane carrying 53 Brits smash into a residential neighbourhood in India. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was carrying 242 passengers, had just taken off from Ahmedabad in India on a London-bound flight when the jet came down in fair flying conditions. Shortly after 1pm, the plane reached around 625ft in the air when its transponder signal was lost and it came crashing down, smashing into a medical college and exploding into a ball of flames. An investigation is underway while experts analyse footage of the crash and offer up theories about what could have brought the plane down. The video footage, while compelling, is not conclusive evidence, and investigators will only know what happened once they have found and analysed the plane's black boxes. Did engine failure bring the plane down? A "mayday" call sent to air traffic control shortly after takeoff has led some experts to suggest the Dreamliner could have suffered a mechanical failure. The fact that pilots sent this message indicates they could tell there was a problem with the aircraft. Videos of the fateful take-off, while inconclusive as evidence, seem to show the plane struggling to lift off the ground - which could be due to a lack of thrust or power. Some experts believe this could have been caused by an almost unheard of double engine failure. Speaking to the BBC, one senior pilot said this ultra-rare event could be caused by the contamination or clogging of jet fuel Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation expert, said the double-engine theory would be "a very, very rare incident". Could the fault lie with the pilots? Captain Summeet Sabharwal, a veteran pilot with 8,200 hours of flying experience, was commanding the flight when it crashed just outside the Gujarati airport. According to early reports, it seems unlikely that a pilot fault was to blame. Principal aviation consultant at BL Aviation Consulting, Bernard Lavelle, explained that once in the air, modern planes "pretty much fly themselves", but it's the take-off and landing that require the active participation of the pilots. "The two most dangerous, relatively speaking, phases of any flight are take off and landing," he told the MailOnline. "There are generally few issues when the aircraft is in the air - but take-off and landing are when something could go wrong and the only time the pilot is (fully in control of) the aircraft." The fact that an SOS message was sent out appears to suggest that it was not the pilots' fault, he added. Runway miscalculation While the SOS message appears to indicate a mechanical failure rather than pilot error, the pilots could have miscalculated the length of runway needed for the Boeing Dreamliner to take off. Marco Chan, senior lecturer in aviation at Buckinghamshire New University, explained how the Boeing Dreamliner needs 1.75miles of runway to take off properly. However, unverified data from Flightradar24 shows that it took off with just 1.18miles of tarmac. Mr Chan told the MailOnline: "1900 metres would be inadequate for a 787, which could be an issue(to investigate). The onboard computer would know there is not enough runway and not give you full power.' However, Mr Chan added that the computer can be overridden. He said: "Something has gone wrong in the cockpit. The aircraft is at maximum thrust at this point. If they weren't able to reach altitude, it might indicate an issue with the engine. They weren't getting the thrust they thought they should be." Could birds have struck the engine? Other experts have pointed to a bird strike being the cause of the tragic incident in Ahmedabad yesterday. Aviation expert and former Indian Navy pilot Capt Saurabh Bhatnagar told NDTV the videos looks like a case of "multiple bird hits", which lead to both engines losing power. "The takeoff was perfect and just I believe short of taking the gear up the aircraft started descending, which only happens if the engine loses power or the aircraft stops delivering the lift," he told the Indian national broadcaster. Former US Air Force Pilot Lt Col John R Davidson backed up Bhatnagar's claim, saying: " Weather, windshear or even bird strike can't be ruled out either at this early stage." There are a number of other theories circulating on social media, including the plane not being set up properly for take off because its "flaps" were not properly deployed. Tensions have also reached boiling point between India and Pakistan in recent months after the murder of 25 Indian tourists by militants in Kashmir. Security experts say it would be unwise to rule out security issues at this early stage.
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Air India plane to London with 242 on board crashes in ball of fire after take-off
NEW DELHI: An Air India plane to London crashed in a ball of fire in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area minutes after taking off from the city's airport with 232 passengers and 12 crew on board, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. The plane, AI 171, was headed to London's Gatwick airport in the United Kingdom. There is no official word on the casualties in the incident. There were 232 passengers, including two infants, and 12 crew members including two pilots on board, aviation regulator DGCA said. The aircraft departed from Ahmedabad airport at 1:39pm from runway 23 and moments later, gave a MAYDAY call to the air traffic controllers. '... but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC,' a DGCA report said. It said the report fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. A video clip that captured the last moments of the plane shows the aircraft losing height before disappearing behind residential buildings and bursting into flames. A civil aviation ministry official said the director general of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have reached the spot. 'An AAIB, Director Investigation and Go Team are leaving for Ahmedabad,' the official said. Ahmedabad airport was shut for operations following the incident. Aviation safety expert Capt Mohan Ranganathan said: 'We do not know the details yet. However, Ahmedabad is very notorious for birds. It could be a bird in the engine or an engine failure. However, the crew are well trained to handle engine failure situations.' Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu, who was in Vijayawada, has reached Ahmedabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi later spoke to the minister and took took stock of the Air India flight crash incident in Ahmedabad. 'The Prime Minister has directed the Minister to ensure all necessary support is extended immediately and asked to be kept regularly updated on the situation. All relevant agencies are on high alert, and coordinated efforts are underway.
New Indian Express
04-05-2025
- New Indian Express
GPS jammers put in place along India-Pak borders, harrowing time for pilots
NEW DELHI: The electronic warfare units deployed by India to jam Global Positioning Systems (GPS) of Pakistan military aircraft along the Indo-Pak border are creating issues for flights within India flying over cities in the vicinity, said an airport source. There is no major passenger safety involved but the flights are forced to fly a little longer due to problems encountered by the navigation aids inside the cockpit. 'Of late, we have received complaints from pilots of different airlines flying over Amritsar, Chandigarh and Srinagar about the sudden signal drops at some points during the travel. This forces them to fly a little longer than expected. Airlines are now loading some extra fuel in the flights flying towards this direction, taking into account the need to move around a bit extra distance whenever needed,' the source said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation too has been apprised of the issue, the source added. According to Global tracker of aircraft flights, flightradar24, in a report states, 'GPS jamming involves saturating GPS receivers with unknown signals to render the receiver unusable, essentially degrading everyone's ability to effectively use GPS for navigational issues.' Aviation safety consultant and former pilot Captain Mohan Ranganathan said, 'All flight management systems use GPS signals and separations are based on accurate signals. If they are degraded, radar separations and conventional navigation has to be followed. This will cause delays. Airlines and Air Traffic Controllers will have to anticipate disruptions in schedules.' A pilot, requesting anonymity said, 'That can happen in any war-ravaged area. It is called as a GPS denied airspace.' He added, 'Defence aircraft mostly are fully equipped and won't be affected by GPS spoofing as the technology and satellites are under our control.'
