Eastern and Far-Western busiest domestic airport’s serving in trunk route of the nation; Chandragadhi and Dhangadhi Airport’s VOR/DME equipment installation project inauguration has been pushed for couple of months, as per the officials from Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
Mr. Birendra Prasad Shrestha, Spokesperson for CAA of Nepal stated AviationNepal that the field inspection work for Dhangadhi and Chandragadhi airport had already accomplished and now has initiated its next step for installation. Previously CAAN had scheduled the inauguration of the installation of VOR/DME equipment on the both airport from January, 2018 but the installation project had pushed forward for couple of months and expected to start on March 2018, noted Mr. Shrestha.
The Installation Project had been handover to Japanese Company, Japan International Cooperation Agency – JICA by CAA of Nepal. The JICA firstly will invite the bid for VOR/DME equipment in local companies in Japan on March, 2018. After the bid finalization work will be completed than the installation work will initiate is journey facilitating the both airports. Likewise, CAA of Nepal is responsible for acquiring the land at the airport premises for the installation of the equipment. CAA of Nepal will cooperate with CDO and municipal along with local officers for acquiring the land the airport.
The CAA of Nepal had already approved the application for acquiring the required land at both airports for installation and has forwarded the approval application for Ministry of Finance (MOF) for the dispatching of Budget for acquiring the land.
In context of Nepal, there are five VOR/DME stations out of which the Biratnagar Airport VOR/DME equipment is now not in operation due to recent water logging at the airport. The VOR/DME stations are as follows:
- VOR/DME Kathmandu (Frequency: 113.2 MHz / 79X, Location: 274025 N 0852055 E)
- VOR/DME Nepalgunj (Frequency: 115.1 MHz / 98X, Location: 280605 N 0813903 E)
- VOR/DME Simara (Frequency: 112.9 MHz / 76X, Location: 270951 N 0845856 E)
- VOR/DME Biratnagar (Frequency: 114.1 MHz / 88X, Location: 262858 N 0861458 E)
- VOR/DME Bhairahawa (Frequency: 114.7 MHz / 94X, Location: 273012 N 0832558 E)
VOR/ DME are the radio navigation system. VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range) provides the angle between aircraft and station (usually Airport) and DME (Distance Measuring Equipment) gives the distance between aircraft and the station. The VOR DME equipment produces radio beacon in 360 degrees while aircraft receives those radio beacon.
DME stands for Distance Measuring Equipment. This system is used as an interrogator in the aircraft and a transponder on the ground at the VOR system. DME shows the relative ground speed toward the station and note the actual ground speed of the aircraft, which happens only when flying toward or from the station. DME distance is called slant range and this is the result of horizontal distance and altitude of the aircraft. Slant range becomes altitude when flying exactly overhead of the DME. DME is used with IFR procedures, ILS approaches, and as a distance tool for position reporting, flying a constant
