Navi Mumbai Airport Completes First Commercial Flight Test Successfully

Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to become operational early in the next fiscal year with its inauguration planned for April 17, according to a senior official from the Adani Group on Sunday.

Earlier today, an IndiGo A320 passenger aircraft successfully landed on runway 26/08 at the under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport, marking a significant step towards obtaining an aerodrome license for the commencement of commercial operations.

Domestic Operations to Begin in May; International Flights by July

"Our ambition is to do the commercial inauguration of the airport by April 17," Adani Airport Holdings Ltd CEO Arun Bansal told media after the successful trial landing of the first civil passenger aircraft.

Bansal said that the domestic operations will start from the second half of May as after the inaugural flight some procedures will have to be followed which will take about four weeks.

And by the end of July, he said, "we expect to start international operations." 

A Step Closer to Becoming Fully Operational

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMAI) took a further step toward becoming operational with its first commercial flight validation test, with the successful touchdown at 1.32 pm at runway 26/08, it said.

Traditional Water Salute Welcomes the First Landing

Two Crash Fire Tenders (CFT) at NMIA greeted the aircraft with a traditional water salute.

"This is a momentous day for Navi Mumbai International Airport. The successful completion of the validation flight is a major milestone, and we are now one step closer to operationalising the airport, prioritising safety at every step," said Bansal.

“Two months ago we landed the defence plane C-133. It is clear that our runway is complete and about 80% of the terminal building is also constructed. MTHL, which connects to Ulwe junction from where the Ulwe coastal road will be constructed by 26th January will also give good connectivity to the people of South Mumbai,” said CIDCO MD Vijay Singhal.

He further said, "Apart from this, a proposal for a metro line between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport has been submitted to the government. It will improve connectivity for people in South and Western Mumbai, NMR region, Pune and other nearby areas. We have 4 terminals and two runways so the airports has a capacity of 90 million passengers per year. 

Initially, we will start one terminal with a capacity of 20 million passengers per annum and 0.8 million metric tonnes. We hope to start 180 flights in the beginning, which includes 90 arrivals and 90 departures," said CIDCO MD Vijay Singhal.

Flight Procedures to be Published Internationally

The touchdown of a commercial aircraft at NMIA confirms the synchronized operation of its Instrument Approach Procedures.

This exercise involved technical assessments, as well as landing and take-off maneuvers, allowing the DGCA to verify the data gathered from the flight. It also enables NMIA to receive its aerodrome license, which is crucial for the airport’s operations.

Following the successful landing, NMIA's flight procedures will be published in the Electronic Aeronautical Information Publication (eAIP) for international dissemination.

Final Preparations Before the First Commercial Flight

Before the validation flight's landing, NMIA completed the calibration of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), and created the necessary instrument approach procedures in preparation for the validation flight's arrival.