Satellite Navigation opens Kigali International Airport’s Runway 10 to operations

December 3, 2024 in Companies, Technology & Telecoms, Transport, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Photo Credits: Cyril Ndegeya GroundTime

Rwanda hopes to minimise weather related diversions at Kigali International Airport, following the introduction of new air navigation procedures that open Runway 10 to landings. Previously, landings and take-offs were only permitted on the east-facing Runway 28.

The Kigali-based aviation publication GroundTime reported that with this procedure, landing aircraft will be using satellite navigation to follow a precise descent profile until they touch down without recourse to conventional ground aids such as a localiser. According to the publication, the new approach is less prone to fog overhang, opening a window for inbound flights in case Runway 28 is not open due to visibility limitations.

Fog over Kigali International Airport is common in the early morning hours. Typically, Air Traffic Controllers have been diverting to inbound aircraft to alternate airports in the region or directing them into a holding pattern until the fog has dissipated. The procedure is costly as the aircraft have to be refueled at the alternate airports, pay landing and navigation fees. Sometimes, crew changes are necessary, resulting in lengthy delays for passengers. Even those  flights forced into holding patterns burn additional fuel adding to the trip cost and environmental footprint.

According to the Rwanda Airports Company, aircraft approaching the airport from west Africa on an easterly heading will be able to save 7-15 mins of flight time as a result of the changes.

The availability of the two runways is also expected improve operational efficiency as a result of the reduced time lag between take-offs and landings.

“The new procedures aim to minimize diversions caused by bad weather, particularly when approaching Kigali International Airport from the east (Masaka Side) and there are no risks associated with these procedures. It has been rigorously designed, thoroughly tested, and approved to ensure the highest safety standards are met and similar landing approaches have already been successfully used by smaller aircraft, ensuring the transition is safe and seamless,” says  Rwanda Airports Company  spokesperson Athan Tashobya.

According to pilots, approaching from the West (runway 10) will give them a higher ceiling level (the altitude at which clouds are formed) which will offer them a clearer visibility. There will also be increased opportunities for taking off or landing against the wind.

“We are so thankful to the authorities who approved the usage of this runway for landing, because it is rare for fog to form in this western area of the airport, approaching the airport from the west gives us more clear visibility and more changes to land our aircraft without a need to divert to another airport, and this is also a great economic factor to the airlines because diversions implicate an important cost which is in the most cases not planned prior to the flight,” GroundTime quotes an unnamed pilot as saying.