Air India Express Flight 1344 Catastrophe: Comprehensive Analysis of the Incident
Landing Hindrances on Table-Top Runways
The tricky business of touchdown on table-top runways, like Calicut International Airport, calls for caution, particularly in the face of inclement weather. These runways, perched atop elevated surfaces, usually lack extensive output areas, making them risky for any aircraft that misses the mark during takeoff or landing.
- Runway Excursions: Runway excursions rank among the significant safety issues in such scenarios. Over- or underrunning the runway during takeoff or landing can occur due to premature landings, insufficient deceleration, or extreme weather like powerful winds, poor visibility, or heavy rain.
- Adverse Weather: Weather conditions can amplify the hazards associated with table-top runways. Incidents such as the Air India Express Flight 1344 accident on August 7, 2020, showcase these risks, as the aircraft overshot the runway at Calicut International Airport during a heavy downpour, leading to fatalities and injuries.
- Insufficient Safety Areas: Many table-top runways lack adequate safety zones, such as Runway Safety Areas (RSAs) or Engineered Materials Arrestor Systems (EMAS), designed to swiftly halt an airplane during a runway overrun.
Solutions to Enhance Safety
To minimize risks associated with landing on table-top runways during bad weather, several actionable strategies can be implemented:
- Pilot Training: Pilots need extensive training to master the unique challenges of table-top runways, as well as procedures for landing during unfavorable weather.
- Safety System Installation: Where practicable, the deployment of EMAS or other advanced safety measures can help mitigate the aftermath of a runway overrun.
- Improved Weather Forecasting: Timely and precise weather updates and forecasting are vital to ensure secure landings. This includes employing advanced technology to swiftly evaluate and react to fluctuating weather conditions.
- Runway Condition Assessment: Routine checks of runway conditions, such as the use of Runway Condition Codes (RWYCC), help pilots make well-informed decisions regarding secure landing parameters.
- Technological Advancements: The use of innovative flight systems like the Runway Overrun Prevention System increases awareness and automation levels during landings, decreasing the risk of runway excursions.
The Air India Express Flight 1344 crash was a jarring reminder of the need for stringent adherence to safety protocols and continual improvement in aviation infrastructure. Lessons from this tragedy can hopefully prevent future losses.
- Aerospace industry professionals are advocating for improved pilot training to equip them with specialized skills for landing on challenging table-top runways, especially in inclement weather.
- In the aviation industry, tackling the issue of aviation accidents on table-top runways necessitates the installation of Engineered Materials Arrestor Systems and Runway Safety Areas for reducing the risk of runway overruns.
- Beyond the aviation sector, focusing on crime-and-justice aspects includes investigating the causes of table-top runway accidents and implementing stricter regulations to improve transportation safety and general-news reporting on the issue.
- To enhance the finance of the aerospace industry in maintaining and upgrading aviation safety, there's growing support for integrating advanced technology like Runway Overrun Prevention Systems and Runway Condition Codes into everyday practices at airports around the world.
