India-based Airlines - Fireman Plays ATC at Tirupati After Controller Forgets To Show Up

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16866616

A fireman took over guiding a plane into landing after air traffic controllers failed to turn up for work at an airport in India, it has emerged.

The fireman, named as Mr Basha, helped the Jet Airways flight land at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh on 9 January.

The plane was flying from Hyderabad with 60 passengers on board.

Tirupati has no approach radar and pilots rely on air traffic controllers to provide runway and weather information and give landing clearance.

Tirupati airport handles only seven flights a day but is the landing point for visitors to the Tirumala temple, one of Hinduism's holiest shrines.
Visual approach

After the air traffic controllers failed to show up for their 07:00 start, airport deputy manager Janarthanan instructed Mr Basha, whose English was described as broken, to operate the radio in the control tower.

Pilots rely mainly on a visual approach to land at Tirupati and Mr Basha was reported to have supplied the support information needed for about 40 minutes before an air traffic controller arrived for work.

Airport authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Airport Authority of India regional executive director D Devaraj told the Mail Today: "No-one doubts Basha's intention to help during a crisis. He wanted the flight to land safely. But he is untrained and must not attempt to do the ATC's job. Mere good intention is not enough in this case."

Mr Devaraj told the paper the controller on duty "simply forgot to turn up."

This is ridiculous on so many levels...

Indeed. Shame on the AAI exec director to even try blaming the fireman in this case.

Indeed. Shame on the AAI exec director to even try blaming the fireman in this case.

i agree....if he wouldn't have helped then they might have blamed him for just standing around & doing nothing....

Indeed. Shame on the AAI exec director to even try blaming the fireman in this case.

i agree....if he wouldn't have helped then they might have blamed him for just standing around & doing nothing....

Exactly damned if do and damned if you don't.

This AAI director should probably keep his mouth shut since he is clearly untrained and should not attempt to do an AAI director's job.

I doubt any serious flight deck would attempt to land at an airport when ATC is not giving them clear responses on radio.

I doubt any serious flight deck would attempt to land at an airport when ATC is not giving them clear responses on radio.

Why?

In the US and Canada, there are many airports which have no ATC at all. Pilots just announce their intentions over the radio. Now, the infrastructure in the US and Canada is far superior to that in India. But Indian pilots are also used to Indian infrastructure...

Honestly, the fireman telling the flight crew that the runway is clear was not "dangerous" in any way..

Not absoulutely current on visual approach procedures in the US, but arrival and departure controls are regulated centrally and they do give the clearance to land at airports without checking with the locals.

I doubt any serious flight deck would attempt to land at an airport when ATC is not giving them clear responses on radio.

Did the pilot in this case know that the ATC is manned by a fireman?

If the supposed ATC cannot speak the lingo and say 'no dog seen please land' instead of 'allied 1234 you are cleared for visual on runway two seven turn left on taxiway charlie' then the flight crew will recheck whats going on...:rolleyes:

If the supposed ATC cannot speak the lingo and say 'no dog seen please land' instead of 'allied 1234 you are cleared for visual on runway two seven turn left on taxiway charlie' then the flight crew will recheck whats going on...:rolleyes:Quite amusing if one were to hear this on the radio:

Amma, Saar! Naai ille Saar, vanga!

Or:

Kutha nahi hai...

Why?

In the US and Canada, there are many airports which have no ATC at all. Pilots just announce their intentions over the radio. Now, the infrastructure in the US and Canada is far superior to that in India. But Indian pilots are also used to Indian infrastructure...

Honestly, the fireman telling the flight crew that the runway is clear was not "dangerous" in any way..

Who gives a crap what is or isn't followed in another country.

If the regulations in our country prescribe a certain procedure, then any deviation from said procedure amounts to a violation. The risk / consequence is immaterial.

This must be considered a criminal action, on the part of the airport's deputy manager, the airline and the pilot.