New Delhi, 02 July (H.S.): India has achieved a major milestone in civil aviation with the approval of the country's first private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations. The development is expected to significantly enhance the safety of helicopter flights in remote, difficult-to-access and strategically important regions.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation announced on Wednesday night that the country's first private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure has been approved for helicopter operations at Undavalli Heliport.

Developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the PinS procedure has been designed in accordance with DGCA regulations and the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu described the launch of the PinS Instrument Approach Procedure as the beginning of a new era in helicopter operations in India. He said the initiative would significantly improve flight safety, operational efficiency and all-weather accessibility for helicopter services.

The minister noted that only last week India successfully demonstrated the country's first indigenous GAGAN-based precision approach by a commercial aircraft. He said the introduction of the first PinS Instrument Approach Procedure represents another significant milestone in India's aviation modernisation journey.

Naidu said the achievement reinforces the government's vision of modernising aviation infrastructure through Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), expanding the use of indigenous satellite-based navigation technologies and developing India's aviation ecosystem in line with global best practices.

He added that the government's highest priority is to adopt advanced technologies to make helicopter operations more reliable and accessible across the country. He reiterated the commitment to building a technology-driven helicopter ecosystem that meets international standards.

Referring to recent operational achievements, Naidu said the first phase of this year's Char Dham helicopter services had been completed successfully without any incidents, supported by advanced technological infrastructure.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the approval is expected to pave the way for the development of similar Point-in-Space procedures across the country. The initiative is expected to benefit emergency medical services, disaster relief operations, tourism, offshore activities, pilgrimage services, corporate aviation and regional connectivity.

According to the ministry, the new procedure will enable safer helicopter operations under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in remote and strategically significant areas, improve operational reliability and minimise weather-related disruptions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar