After an aircraft crash at the Baramati airport took Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's life, major discrepancies at the airport have come to light. The Indian Air Force has temporarily taken charge of the airport and will be providing Air Traffic Control (ATC) and meteorological services. The Baramati airport falls under 'Category A' airports, which lack basic ATC services.
Airports in India are primarily categorised into four groups. Here's a look.
Types of airports in India
Category A
Category A or uncontrolled/specialised airports are mostly smaller in size and capacity, or have very limited infrastructure. With few aids for navigation and no proper Air Traffic Control (ATC), these airports are often used for flight training or smaller aircraft.
Category A airports usually handle training, private, or non-commercial. The Baramati airport falls under this category.
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Category B
Category B or partially controlled airports have more safety features than small, uncontrolled airstrips, but still lack proper ATC support or Aerodrome Flight Information Services (AFIS). These airports are not used for high-traffic requirements and are generally considered smaller regional hubs.
The Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) and Jalgaon airports fall under this category.
Category C
Category C or controlled regional/major airports are generally smaller in size than metro airports but have the capacity to handle significant commercial traffic. Specific procedures are followed for the separation of aircraft in these airports, and ATC services are proper.
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The airports that fall under this category have longer runways and moderate-to-high passenger volume. Pune Airport and Chandigarh International Airport fall under this category.
Category D
Category D or fully controlled airports possess radar-based ATC and handle major traffic. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, and all major metro airports fall under this category.
