Imphal, November 13 2009: Although the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has been taking up necessary measures to extend facility for night landing at Tulihal airport, the office of the Meteorology Department situated at the airport has not been able to provide even the weather report for landing flights due to lack of adequate staff apart from the fact that the department is still at class-III level.

According to official sources from the Meteorology Department, the existing strength of only eight staff in the class-III level Department have been facing difficulties in even ensuring the weather report for the day landing and take off of the current traffic of just 7 to 8 flights from the airport daily.

If night landing is to be started, then the number of staff should be increased along with upgrading the department to the level of class I and a Director should be appointed to take in charge of the overall functioning of the department.

Pointing out that no aeroplane can land at night without weather report from the Meteorology Department, the official source explained that as in accordance to the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, landing and take of flights can be possible only after the Meteorology Department has passed on the weather report with regard to the wind velocity and speed, condition of the clouds, the height of the cloud from the surface of the airport, horizontal visibility, temperature and air pressure, etc, to the Air Traffic Control which would duly communicated to details to the pilot.

The weather report is to be provided after every 60 minutes.

Even though the Meteorology Department at Imphal has send information to the Regional Meteorology office at Guwahati about the intimation of the Airport Authority of India for staring night landing facility at Imphal Airport, no response has been received so far, the official said.

As long as the existing strength of the staff has not been increased and the Department has not been upgraded to class I status, the present system would be in no position to ensure weather report for night landing, the source added.

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