'Agencies plan airspace management cells at major airports'

Civil and military agencies are seeking to set up airspace management cells at major airports to ensure optimal utilisation of airspace.
Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil, NM, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), today said in order to achieve real-time coordination for effective use of airspace, integration of sensors and systems is important.
"A technical sub-committee has been formed to study the existing equipment and to explore the feasibility of integrating the same with Airports Authority of India (AAI) systems," he said here.
He said efforts are being made to form these cells at major airports which would "enable real-time airspace management in a dynamic environment which is the way ahead for the future".

With good growth expected in commercial air traffic, the Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) concept is being followed for optimum utilisation of airspace.
Under FUA, for military operations, utilisation of non-military airspace by creation of temporary segregated or reserved areas is permitted.

Noting that there are many challenges to ensure successful civil-military air operations in the available airspace, Pynumootil said there has been coordination efforts which have bolstered the "synergy of civil military cooperation in aircraft operations".
The Indian Navy operates three joint user airports at Goa, Visakhapatnam and Port Blair.
Pynumootil was speaking at the Asia Pacific Civil Military Cooperation Regional Conference organised by the AAI and the International Civil Aviation Organisation.