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PT6A
27th Jul 2011, 18:27
Question,

Why do Indian Airports flat out refuse to accept that their runways are contaminated?
The other night landing at Chennai, VOMM / MAA I advise the controller that the runway was contaminated with standing water (for the benefit of the aircraft following us) to which he replied “Negative! Runway wet)
I have never ever heard them report the runway status as contaminated, or give braking action reports....
Airports such as MAA and CCU are a potential death trap once it has been raining, the runway is super slick... water and all the rubber left on them really don’t mix... not to mention ridiculous calls to expedite in said conditions....
Our company advises us to consider all Indian runways as contaminated for 30 minutes after rainfall (Due to the fact they are poorly constructed and ungroved)

Could someone point out a regulatory reference in India for the airport traffic services to provide braking action reports and runway state reports?

Many thanks PT6A

Rotorhead1026
27th Jul 2011, 21:39
Our company advises us to consider all Indian runways as contaminated for 30 minutes after rainfall (Due to the fact they are poorly constructed and ungrooved)

The new airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore have runways that are crowned and grooved. There may be others ...

I wouldn't raise Kolkata and Chennai to the level of "death traps", but you do have to be really careful in a rainy crosswind, especially at VECC.

Why do Indian Airports flat out refuse to accept that their runways are contaminated?

I hadn't run into this, but it's been over two years since I've flown there. I don't know anything about ATS guidance, but I'm sure they're required to pass along pireps unless they have better information (or think they know better :eek:).

paulsalem
28th Jul 2011, 00:09
Can someone explain why runways aren't grooved in Asia? With all the rain here you think at least the large airports would put grooves in.

itsbrokenagain
28th Jul 2011, 01:26
Problem here is education, the controllers are not licensed like in the rest of the world (might be training, might be some weird local rules...dunno), and then you have to deal with Pilots for the national carrier who the other day in VECC reported from their atr that braking action 'poor to nil' !!! (there was no standing water on the runway, just wet, and braking action good we reported after landing as we were behind them).