Delhi International Airport Inducts Disabled Aircraft Recovery Kit To Rescue Planes During Emergency

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has commissioned a Disabled Aircraft Recovery (DAR) kit that it used to recover an aircraft which is unable to move under its own power or through the normal use of an appropriate tow tractor and tow bar. In an emergency, the DAR Kit can be deployed within 120 minutes, post mandatory clearances, drastically reducing response time and inconvenience to passengers or flight movement.

The mobile kit has been procured from the Germany-based KUNZ and is capable of fully recovering narrow-body aircraft, including the A320 and 737, as well as carrying out one-sided recovery of wide-body aircraft within a short span of time.

With a maximum capacity of 90 tonnes, the kit can recover Code F-compliant aircraft during an aircraft incident on the runway, ensuring minimal runway closure. While the DAR Kit requires a 15-member crew to carry out a recovery operation, a team of 36 Delhi airport personnel have been specially trained in collaboration with KUNZ, to ensure readiness at all times.

The kit consists of recovery lifting bags to lift the aircraft fuselage/wing, Tethering equipment to balance the aircraft and avoid tilting, De-bogging kit to pull the aircraft from soft land, Recovery trailer & fuselage transition to carry the disabled aircraft.

Speaking on the occasion, CEO-DIAL Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said: "The DAR Kit commissioned today, uses the latest technology to ensure minimum hindrance to flight operations during a disabled aircraft situation, in accordance with DGCA guidelines. Our airport staff have received specialized training in operating the DAR Kit in Germany and India, for deployment in case of any emergency. This deployment of DAR Kit once again resonates with our constant effort to provide passengers with a truly world-class experience."