New Delhi: In a significant step towards modernising aviation navigation systems, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has for the first time conducted a satellite-based landing system (SLS) approach on a jet engine aircraft in India.The exercise was carried out on an IndiGo Airbus A320 at Udaipur airport using the GAGAN (GPS-aided geo augmented navigation) system, jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).Officials said the aircraft successfully executed a Localiser Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) approach, marking a key milestone in extending satellite-based navigation to jet operations. Until now, such procedures in India had been limited to turboprop aircraft.Also Read: DGCA says probing Air India, IndiGo planes incident at Ahmedabad airportSLS enables aircraft to use satellite-based corrections for precision landings, reducing dependence on ground-based Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), particularly at airports without expensive precision landing infrastructure.IndiGo had introduced LPV operations on its ATR fleet in 2022 and has since expanded satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS)-enabled navigation across its aircraft fleet.“SBAS… enhances accuracy, integrity and availability of standard GNSS signals by broadcasting correction data from geostationary satellites,” said a senior pilot. “Instead of depending solely on equipment installed at airports, it allows pilots to receive precise horizontal and vertical guidance while approaching the runway,” he added.Also Read: No smooth landing: ICRA sees Indian airlines' losses widening up to Rs 38,000 crore in FY27Officials said the development positions India among a select group of countries with an indigenous SBAS capability, with GAGAN expected to play a larger role in improving safety and efficiency at secondary airports in the coming years.(With inputs from TOI)
DGCA conducts first satellite-based landing system approach on jet aircraft in India using GAGAN
India has achieved a significant aviation milestone with its first-ever satellite-based landing system approach on a jet aircraft. An IndiGo Airbus A320 successfully used the GAGAN system for a precision landing in Udaipur, marking a leap from previous turboprop-only operations. This advancement, developed by ISRO and AAI, enhances navigation accuracy and reduces reliance on ground infrastructure, positioning India among nations with indigenous satellite navigation capabilities.
DGCA tested satellite-based LPV landing on an IndiGo A320 using GAGAN, extending SLS beyond turboprops for the first time in India. SBAS reduces reliance on costly ground-based ILS infrastructure, positioning India among select countries with indigenous satellite-augmentation capability.
