Delhi airport sees fewer flight diversions during thunderstorms post SkyCast launch: sources
Delhi airport sees fewer flight diversions during thunderstorms post SkyCast launch: Sources
New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): Despite severe thunderstorms and inclement weather conditions in the national capital forcing the diversion of 11 flights, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has recorded a noticeable drop in overall disruptions thanks to its newly deployed technology, airport sources said.
According to sources, India's first "SkyCast System" was officially inaugurated at the Delhi airport last Friday. The system represents one of the most significant milestones in the country's aviation history, blending multiple advanced atmospheric observation technologies to deliver high-impact, real-time weather forecasting.
"While 11 flights had to be diverted due to the recent spell of bad weather, the airport has experienced a substantially smaller number of diversions compared to previous instances of similar intensity," an airport source stated.
Sources added that the precision forecasting of the SkyCast System has empowered both air traffic control and airlines to anticipate weather hazards earlier, significantly mitigating chaos and reducing the frequency of diversions during peak storm conditions.
On May 29, Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh today inaugurated India's first "SkyCast System" at Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital, calling it the beginning of a new era in Indian aviation.
The Minister informed that only 18 such advanced systems exist across the world so far, and India has now become the 19th in the world to install this integrated atmospheric remote sensing system for aviation weather monitoring. After IGI Airport Delhi, the second such facility will come up at Jewar Airport, followed by expansion to other airports across India, he said.
Jitendra Singh inaugurated the SkyCast System and Fog Observatory facility at Glide Path 10, followed by a technical briefing and demonstration by IITM scientists.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who flies through Delhi frequently, this is reassuring. The chaos during last year's storms was unbelievable. But 11 diversions still happened - is that really "fewer"? Would love to see the actual data comparing previous years. Still, any progress is welcome.
This is what happens when we invest in homegrown tech! IITM scientists deserve applause. SkyCast using multiple observation tools sounds impressive. Only 19 systems worldwide and India has one - proud moment indeed. 🇮🇳
Hopefully this also helps with the fog situation in winter! Delhi's runway capacity drops so much during December-January. If SkyCast can predict fog density accurately, that would save thousands of passengers from hours of delays. Let's see if the hype matches reality.
A step in the right direction, but we need to remember this is just one tool. Infrastructure upgrades at airports across India are long overdue. Hope the government allocates more funds for modernizing ATC systems nationwide, not just in Delhi. Still, good to see progress.
Finally, our airports are getting the tech they deserve! Last month my flight to Bangalore was diverted to Jaipur due to a storm that could have been predicted better. SkyCast sounds like the solution we needed. Excited to see Jewar Airport get this too! 😊
R