Landing Permits for Indian Military Airfields

While we have a set procedure for obtaining landing permissions at the civil airfields in India, which normally have a lead time of three working days, it is different and more time-consuming at airfields under military operational control. This is primarily because of the security implications of operating a foreign registered aircraft at a military airport. Among the military airports, the majority fall under the control of the Indian Air Force (IAF), but some locations along the coastline or island territories are under the influence of the Indian Navy (IN).

When an application is submitted to DGCA (the Civil Aviation Authority) for the operation of a foreign aircraft at a military airfield, it is simultaneously sent to the respective IAF/IN headquarters with complete information. The application is then forwarded to intelligence agencies for security verification. This process usually takes seven to ten working days. Once the intelligence agencies have carried out a background check, it is routed back to IAF headquarters. Approval is further sought from the Ministry of Defence before a clearance number is issued by the Air Force. This clearance number is communicated to DGCA and then YA clearance as the final clearance for the flight operation.

The procedure is laborious and time-consuming to say the least as it has to navigate through a labyrinth of government machinery. Furthermore, since it involves intelligence agencies, it is difficult to keep track of the pending application. However, since our staff has been proficiently dealing with such situations on a day-to-day basis, we can achieve it for our clients within three weeks. It is important to note that crew passport details and the complete flight schedule should be available at the time of submitting the application. Clients are therefore advised to plan their flight itinerary involving a military station well in advance of 30 days.

The table below gives a list of military airports that foreign operators normally operate to. The table also provides salient features of each airport. The notes at the end of the table amplify operating conditions at the military airports.

Note:

• Operations to any/all above mentioned airports requires three weeks’ notice time for Military & DGCA clearance.
• Night parking is available and can be arranged at all International Military Airports on request subject to local conditions (with power in/out bay).
• Night parking at all domestic Military airports also can be arranged with sufficient notice time (three weeks) subject to local conditions.
• A visa is essential for all crew before entering into these airfields.
• Fuel: Jet A1 fuel is available at all international and domestic airports with the exception of Aircraft beyond 75tons MTOW are not allowed at all the airports except VIAG / VOVZ / VOGO / VIJO / VIGR / VICG / VOPB & VISR.
• All landings and take-offs can be delayed due to Military Flying (without prior intimation).
• Slots, parking stand, and ATC clearance are pre-coordinated by the UAS Station Manager on the ground to avoid a crew visit to ATC.