BIA can now handle biggest aircraft

The largest passenger aircraft can now touch down at the Benguluru International Airport (BIA). The airport, run by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), will be able to receive the largest aircraft such as the Boeing 747-8i and A380 that need Code F-compliant airport. BIAL, has recently been certified by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as being Code F compliant.

The Boeing 747-800, with a wingspan of 68.4 metre, is a Code F aircraft, has a wingspan more than that of the Boeing 747-400 (Code E), and it is also the longest aircraft.

The BIAL has done safety risk assessment for the B747-800 operations and, has received the approval to permit regular operations of these types of aircraft from the DGCA. The Boeing 747-800 is classified as a Code F aircraft by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), while the Boeing 747-400 (wingspan: 64.4 m) is classified as a Code E aircraft.

With this, BIA has become the third airport to get Code F compliance. Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi and Hyderabad international airport are other airports.

The increased wingspan of the 747-8i aircraft places it into ICAO airport design category F which is meant for largest aircraft. This has a wingspan of 68.5 m vis-a-vis the 747 which is a Category E aircraft with a wingspan of 64.44 m.

“The Bengaluru International Airport has done the safety risk assessment for Code F aircraft and has received approval to permit regular operations of this type of aircraft at this airport from the Director General Civil Aviation. Additionally, Code F-compliant stand is being created as part of T1 expansion and it will have the capability to accommodate A380 type of aircraft. However, the arrival of A380 into Bangalore is not foreseen in the near future and special permissions will need to be obtained before allowing this aircraft-type operation,” said a BIAL spokesperson.

German carrier Lufthansa has announced that Bangalore will be a destination for its new Boeing 747-8i aircraft, which happens to be Code F compliant due to a massive wing span.

German carrier Lufthansa had recently announced that it will deploy the aircraft on its Delhi-Frankfurt and Bangalore-Frankfurt routes in its present summer schedule.