When table top runaways pose a threat

The tabletop runaway at the Kozhikode International Airport in Kerala is under scrutiny after the horrific tragedy of an Air India Express flight from Dubai crashed and killed at least 18 people on August 7.

Although the real cause of the accident is yet to be revealed, experts point out that tabletop runaways often create optical illusion especially when the vision is affected by torrential rain.

Simply put, a table top runaway is a runaway that is picturesque located in high altitude with one (or both) ends of the runaway adjacent to a steep drop.

Tabletop runaways are admired for their beauty and they often create an optical illusion that requires a very precise approach by the pilot.

There are a total of five tabletop runaways in India- Mangalore in Karnataka, Kozhikode in Kerala, and Lengpui in Mizoram, Shimla and Kullu in Himachal Pradesh and Pakyong in Sikkim. Landings at these airports require extra skill because of the lack of space.

Himachal Pradesh airport in Jubbarhatti- located 2,196 meters above the sea-level- is one of the country’s riskiest table-top airports.

Kozhikode plane mishaps bear striking parallels with Mangalore crash. Both incidents occurred while making a landing at tabletop airports which can be tricky and dangerous at the same time.

The visibility was 200mt when the Air India Express, with 191 people on board landed at the Karipur airport, around 7.45 pm on August 8.

According to an aviation safety report submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2011, the runaway at Calicut International Airport was unsafe for flight operations due to inadequate safety area along the runaway and at the end of the runaway to safeguard against planes skidding off.

In the case of Karipur International Airport in Kozhikode, the down slope at the end of the runaway 10, which the accident took place, is steep. There is only a 90 meter safety area at the end of the runaway, which should be at least 200 meters.

Similarly, on both sides of the runaway, there is only 75 meter of safety area, when that should be at least 150 meters.