Landing, take-off at VABB unsafe
 

Mumbai airport has as many as 165 obstacles in the approach and take-off areas — the highest in the country. The obstacles — trees, hoardings, buildings, hills, etc — are shown on the pre-flight charts available with pilots of all airlines.

This means a disaster is waiting to happen at the airport, which has an average of 550 aircraft movements a day.

Incidentally, Delhi airport has 42 obstacles, Chennai 48 and Kolkata 20.
The obstacles make an aircraft’s glide path at Mumbai airport one of the steepest in the world. In the words of an Air India (AI) pilot, the glide path is the stretch an aircraft covers in ‘its final stages of landing’.

A pilot landing at or taking off for Mumbai for the first time could easily run the plane into one of the obstacles around the airport periphery, noted the AI pilot.

“All the obstacles have been mapped in the pre-flight charts, but bigger aircraft like Boeing 747 and 777 are likely to face more difficulties,” he added.

An air traffic controller said the obstacles have increased over the years with the rise in encroachments around the airport.

Obstacles

— Hoardings
— Hoardings on buildings
— Buildings
— Antennae
— Trees
— Kalpana Theatre
— Factories
— Slums

http://web.mid-day.com/1news/city/2006/may/136729.htm

As long as charts are up to date & relavent performance calculations are conducted per A/C type, can`t really see the problem.
Seems like more Journalist sensationalism to me.

Have you operated there? I have had no problems...

Intruder,

How do you account for the height of the new control tower in relation to the requirements of ICAO Annex 14?

Mutt

Crapper's corner there at the end of 27 near the hold short position is a hazard as well:yuk:

pls comment!!!
 

On top of all d s**t U face in BOM:
3 months ago I arrived at BOM with 20' to spare before 27 was to be opened. 14 was being used but with marginal tailwind. I elected to hold as most flights that arrived after me. Only a Jet Airways ATR managed to land. We were all informed that 27 will reopen with 10 min delay after the published NOTAM time. It reopened only after another 17 min - a total delay of 27'! On top of this, contrary to worldwide practice, Being #1 I was only released from the stack at 10000' at the time of the rw opening, not in advance - in order to land at or a short time after the rw reopened. Altogether I landed with a whoppish 37 min delay after the original NOTAM time.
Shame for the locals who let themselves be caught with their pants down with sched mainenance on the main rw and marginal wx on the alternate rw!!!
But of course my company did not hear so far from the local DCA, after my report....:mad:
Just to add another piece to the pile of s--t:
I was shot at on short final 27 at Diwalli (local hindu festival) with fireworks from the small hilolck just off the CL. While I belive these are harmless, they distracted my junior FO and he botched up the landing...
Beware Guys, Beware Guys of the demons of unsustainable growth in India!

Little has changed in 30 years but as you say what this space with "open skies" and traffic build up, together with the incompetent ATC.....

Maybe another consideration would be about the 27 surface conditions... Every time I am waiting to see my nose gear come through the cabin floor...

welcome guys to the real aviation world of the

INCREDIBLE INDIA

(as so promoted by the Tourism Office.) Every day of flying here is quite a big challenge !

Which Runway?
 

Lizard King,

Which runway is refered to here?

Used to be a displaced threshold on 27 due to obstacles.

The airline I flew for allowed a landing at the displaced threshold
too - thus ensuring you flew below the corrected GS...

Desk experts!

FC.

Not the worst airport in the world by a long way but I do agree about the obstacles. I'm sure when they built the place they spent a long time lining up the runways with the biggest hills they could see. If 27 was 26 or 28 the final appoach would be almost obstruction free...

Just out of interest what is the angle of the ILS at Mumbai?

3.3 degree glide path

ILS starts at 3700 feet and is 10.5 nm long

Mumbai HF what a frickin joke!!
Runway surface condition what a frickin joke
Terminal condition what a frickin joke (unless you are a RAT)
Obstacles well..... frickin joke
Sludge from the slums, 27 threshold. Incl the stray dogs!
What a frickin joke!!

There is nothing NOTHING i could say that was pleasant about mumbai to fly into or else.

Discusting, dirty, dreadfiul, not even the monsoon in about 3 weeks will wash it clean. Never has done before. As for the controlling..... What to do?

I'm not peaved, just telling the truth, messy, unprofessional nasty place to fly into. If you disagree you aint flown in there enough!!

dont be so negative
 

stop winching guys... the chicken tikka masala at cafe leopold has been the top of the line since 1871... and a cold kingfisher....
the best thing in BOM is when your hear 'Gear up"
lars

I don't.

I don't often read ICAO Annex 14, and I try hard to not run into control towers regardless of their height.

Is Mumbai an "adventure" like every other airport within 3000 miles? Indeed!

Maybe an An-124 or A300 or B757 will lose an engine at V1 one of these days, and mow down some of those obstacles. I doubt it will have much effect -- the Indians will just rebuild them...

I am based out of Mumbai and i wish i could say that you guys are full of it, but after a TCAS incident (i filed a report on March 13th, please dont ask me why i can remember the date, and have yet to hear anything from DGCA and probabaly will never either, as it was an ATC vector to opposing traffic which triggered it off.), and countless other silly things that have happened to me i agree to all the negatives that have been posted.
This is what i have learnt in 6 months of flying in and out of VABB 1) I never carry less that 30 minutes extra hold above the so called 15 for traffic, and 2) have the efis mode in centre map and watch anything turning yellow like a hawk.

I just love the way the locals do things at the airport. If there is any work to be done on site then the workers and their families pitch up their tents next to the runway and live on the spot while maintenance is being carried out etc. Crappers corner (end of 27) is frequently used as a latrine.

cheers
coco

Hmmm, first operated into BOM over thirty years ago with the 'ole B707, and from the sound of it, it ain't changed...
Haven't been there in about five years and can't say I miss it all that much....except the few topless gals out at the Reef Hotel on Mudd Island.:\

BOM
 

Disgusting place beware!

WX: unreliable, tailwind on ILS 27
Rwy: very bad, bumpy, slippery, stray animals etc
ATC: unreliable, expect holdings 30min
Obstacles: Lots, even Tower not according ICAO guidelines
Tarmac: complicated clearances, crossing rwys, stray dogs and people
Terminal: as soon as gate is hooked up you smell it
Security: doubtful, slums around, they even stole the LOC last year!

And of course leaving BOM you will visit crappers corner at Rwy27, it sucks :yuk:

You wouldn't have to be very far off the centreline of R14 to hit the tower. Our company restrictions require us to have the tower in sight at all times when landing 14/32.