(a) whether the Government is aware that near misses incidents between aeroplanes in the crowded skies has increased many fold in the recent years;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(c) the steps the Government has taken/proposed to be taken to avoid such collision?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION ( SHRI PRAFUL PATEL )
(a) and (b):- The number of air-miss incidents has not shown any significant increase in the last few years. The number of air-miss incidents per lakh movements for the last four years are 2.041 in 2003; 2.081 in 2004; 2.506 in 2005 and 2.559 in 2006. The marginal increase is due to substantial increase in Air Traffic Density in the past few years. Further, better surveillance mechanisms like installation of Airborne Collision Avoidance System/Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems on aircraft and increase in RADAR coverage area have enabled reporting and monitoring of every breach of minimum separation between flights/aircraft. (c):- Safety of aircraft operations and avoiding airmiss incdents is ensured by making installation of Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) and Mode `S` transponder o aircraft with certified seating capacity of more than 30 or pay load capacity more than 3 tones. mandatory. Apart from this, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has installed Automatic Dependant Surveillance and Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) at Delhi and Mumbai airports. Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) system is also in vogue which provides radar warning to ATCs, enablilng them to alert the pilots timely. Most of the busy airspace in the country has been covered by Mono pulse Secondary Surveillance Radars (MSSRs) installed at Major airports which provide information on aircraft altitude to ATCOs. Traning procedure of ATC is amended and modernised. Further refresher courses and proficiency checks for controllers are being carried out regularly. Specific coordination procedures have also been framed for transfer of traffic from one unit to another. DGCA has also advised AAI to ensure strict compliance of Air Traffic Control procedures and instructions.