Work on to accommodate largest passenger aircraft

Work on to accommodate largest passenger aircraft
Vijay Times

Bangalore: Hectic construction activity is in progress at the site of the new interna tional airport in Devanahalli aiming at accommodating the mammoth 500-odd seater A-380 aircraft to operate from Bangalore.

According to Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) officials, work on the 4,000-metre runway is progressing smoothly with cut and fill earth works and granular sub-base laying work.

Though the present runway construction is for 60 metres width, it would be subsequently expanded to 75 metres (including 15 metres for shoulders on either side) to accommodate the 79.8 metre (261ft 10 inches) wingspan of the A-380, for which the four kilometre length of runway is more than adequate to take-off and land.

BIAL officials said they were specially keeping an eye on meeting the ground handling and passenger service requirements of the world’s largest passenger aircraft, A-380, as that would logically mean meeting the needs of smaller aircraft operating from Bangalore.

U pgradations through the new redesign mode that has forced reworking project costs to Rs 1,930 crore from the earlier R 1,411.8 crore would include expanding terminals, aprons, counters, and conveyor belts to accommodate over 1,000 passengers (arriving plus departing) with just one aircraft (A-380) coming in.

"That is why we are giving more importance to the airport’s ability to handle peak hour passenger traffic rather than going by projected annual figures on volume of traffic," explained Albert Brunner, chief executive officer, BIAL.

T o tackle challenges of meeting the needs of A-380 operations from Bangalore, BIAL has built-in cost over-runs which will include revisions like upgradations to meet requirements of the mammoth aircraft operating from the new airport.

BIAL is developing only about half of the 3,900-acre land earmarked for the airport, so there is much scope for expansion, Brunner said, adding that this would include building one more 4,000-metre runway and two taxiways subsequently as the need arises.