HAL Airport

HAL Airport
Summary
Airport type Civilian/Military
Operator
Location Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Elevation AMSL 2,912 ft / 888 m
Coordinates 12°57′0″N 77°40′6″E / 12.95000°N 77.66833°E / 12.95000; 77.66833Coordinates: 12°57′0″N 77°40′6″E / 12.95000°N 77.66833°E / 12.95000; 77.66833
Map
VOBG
VOBG
VOBG
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
09/27 11,300 3,390 Asphalt

HAL Airport (ICAO: VOBG), also known as Hindustan Airport, is an airport located in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Due to its location in the heart of the city, it is the preferred destination for general and business aviation. The airport is also used as a testing facility by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the Indian Armed Forces. It served as the city's domestic and international airport until 24 May 2008, when it was replaced by the new Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli. There have since been repeated attempts to restart commercial service at the airport.

History

The passenger terminal viewed in 2006

The airport was constructed in 1940 by Walchand Hirachand, founder of Hindustan Aircraft Company (now Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), as an aircraft manufacturing centre. Two years later, the airport was requisitioned by the British for use by the Royal Air Force in order to protect India from Japan during World War II.[1][2]

In 1964 the airport was acquired by newly established Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.[3][4] Commercial flights, initially only domestic, began in 1980.[3]

The first international flights from HAL Airport began in 1997.[5] In September 2001, Lufthansa commenced flights between Frankfurt and Bangalore, marking the airport's first nonstop link to Europe.[6] British Airways and Air France followed in October 2005 with flights to London and Paris, respectively.[7][8]

Transfer of civilian operations

During the 2000s, commercial traffic to HAL Airport was rising at a rate of roughly 35% per year. Between 2006 and 2007 the airport received 8.2 million passengers, well above its capacity of 3.6 million.[9]

Because of this, in July 2004 the Government of India permitted the construction of another airport for Bangalore after a Concession Agreement with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL, the company that operates the Airport), situated 30 km (19 mi) from the city in Devanahalli.[10][11] The new airport, named Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB), opened on 24 May 2008. Per the Government's decision that no two commercial airports could exist within a 150 km (93 mi) radius, all passenger flights were transferred from HAL Airport to KIAB.

Since then, there have been several attempts to reinstate commercial air service at HAL Airport. Shortly before BIAL's opening, 20,000 employees of the Airports Authority of India went on strike against the closure of HAL Airport and Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad.[12] In January 2015, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar appealed to the Civil Aviation Minister to reopen HAL Airport, citing its loss of revenue and its convenient location within Bangalore.[13] However, the Indian Government has repeatedly denied these requests in accordance with its 150 km policy.

The airport however remains operational round the clock (H24 ATC watch hours) due to Non Scheduled and Military movements and as a destination alternate to Kempegowda International Airport in case of contingencies.

Facilities

HAL Airport has one runway, 09/27, with a length of 3,307 metres (10,850 ft). There are 4 entry/exit taxiways, 2 on the east side named E2 (perimeter) and E1. Similarly there are 2 taxiways on the west side - W2 (perimeter) and W1. In addition, there are six aprons.

Closed structures

The passenger terminal was located on the north side of the airport. It contained two jetways and separate sections for domestic and international flights. Despite the rise in passenger traffic, there was no room to expand the terminal, and the apron in front of it could only park six aircraft.[14]

Incidents and accidents

See also

References

  1. ↑ "HAL airport wears desert look after BIA launch". Oneindia. 24 May 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  2. ↑ "Our History". Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Airport Services Centre Bangalore: Brief History". Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  4. ↑ Mukherjee, Andy (2 June 2008). "New Bangalore airport is a dream going sour". livemint.com. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Hollis, Leo (2013). Cities are Good for You: The Genius of the Metropolis. A&C Black. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-4088-2662-1.
  6. ↑ Lufthansa services from Bangalore. The Hindu. 3 September 2001. Archived from the original on 6 November 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "Explore our past: 2000 - 2009". British Airways. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  8. ↑ AIR FRANCE CONTINUES TO EXPAND SERVICES TO INDIA WITH A NEW ROUTE TO BANGALORE, ITS FIFTH DESTINATION IN INDIA, LAUNCHED ON 30 OCTOBER 2005. Air France. 14 December 2005. Archived from the original on 6 January 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Passenger traffic grows 35% at Bangalore airport". The Hindu Business Line. 29 December 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Pact for Bangalore airport signed". The Economic Times. 5 July 2004. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  11. ↑ David, Stephen (29 July 2004). "On the runway: Bangalore International Airport to be India's first private sector-led project". India Today. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  12. ↑ Slow take-off for airport stir. Indo-Asian News Service via Gulf News. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Ajmer, Singh (16 January 2015). Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar wants Bengaluru’s shut-down HAL airport reopened. The Economic Times. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "Hard times ahead for city airport authorities". The Hindu. 31 October 2005. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  15. ↑ Flight 605 at the Aviation Safety Network
  16. ↑ Incident report at the Aviation Safety Network
  17. ↑ Chopper crash-lands at HAL Airport
  18. ↑ Pilot killed as MiG crashes in Bangalore
  19. ↑ Incident report at the Aviation Safety Network
  20. ↑ Air Deccan aircraft skids off runway
  21. ↑ Incident report at the Aviation Safety Network
  22. ↑ Plane crash-lands at Bangalore Airport
  23. ↑ Air traffic disrupted as cargo aircraft gets stuck on runway
  24. ↑ Kaminski-Morrow, David (30 April 2010). Crashed Saras lost stability during re-light test. Flightglobal. Retrieved 25 November 2015.


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