A passenger flight — complete with crew members and staff of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) — will carry out a trial run at the Noida International Airport on Monday, marking a major milestone in operational readiness. Officials said that the validation is scheduled to begin around noon.
The exercise will cover technical assessment, landings and takeoffs from the airport runway. Data collected during the exercise — conducted jointly by AAI’s technical team and the airport staff — will be submitted with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for examination.
Once approved, the authorities will apply for an aerodrome licence — which is mandatory for operations to start. Validation flights — also called proving flights — are integral to the certification process, ensuring compliance with safety, reliability, and operational standards.
These flights are part of the DGCA’s manual and simulate real-world airport operations in order to assess the compatibility of the infrastructure, procedures, and systems of the airport with regulatory requirements. Prior to the validation flight, preparations are extensive, including developing a timeline and a schedule for tests. This schedule is shared with the DGCA.
The validation process itself involves a number of technical assessments carried out by a specialised aircraft equipped monitoring equipment. The aircraft will perform multiple takeoffs and landings and taxiing maneuvers to evaluate runway condition, grip levels and obstacle clearance.
The Bokaro facility is important for the entire region, as it will enhance connectivity and contribute towards the economic growth of Bokaro. Once operational the airport will improve passenger transportation, attract investors and boost trade, tourism and investment in the region.
“Data collected in the validation exercise will be analysed for metrics such as aircraft behaviour at landing and takeoff. Accuracy and response time of navigation signals. A comprehensive report detailing any deviation from the standards is prepared and sent to the DGCA. If there are any deficiencies, corrective actions are implemented before the next trial,” the official said.
After Monday’s trial, airline partners Akasa Indigo may conduct their operational exercises at airport. After the trials, the airport will then apply for an aerodrome license, which is expected to be granted in 90 days. The validation process will likely be completed by Dec 15.
According to the schedule, the test of validation was scheduled between Nov 30th and Dec 15th. In October, the airport reached a significant milestone by calibrating their ILS andPAPI systems.
Officials claim that 85 per cent of phase one has been completed. The 3.9km airport runway is now fully operational and the terminal building nears completion. The ATC tower is ready and stands at 38 metres high. Its communication systems will be the focus of Monday’s test.
