IAF successfully holds trial run at Navi Mumbai airport, operations set to begin in March 2025
The trial run, conducted between 11 am and 2 pm on Friday, took place in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Murlidhar Mohol.
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These tests followed the commissioning of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at NMIA, which is crucial for ensuring the airport’s operational readiness. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), set to begin operations in March 2025, witnessed its first aircraft landing on Friday, October 11 as part of a trial run conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The trial included the landing and takeoff of IAF aircraft, including an Airbus C295 transport aircraft and a Sukhoi fighter jet, as a key part of the runway testing ahead of the airport’s official launch.
The trial run, conducted between 11 am and 2 pm on Friday, took place in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Murlidhar Mohol. CIDCO chairman Sanjay Shirsat was also in attendance along with other dignitaries. The event had been initially scheduled for October 5 but was later postponed.
Speaking to the media, Shinde said, “The trial run at NMIA, coinciding with Dussehra, is a significant gift from the Mahayuti government to the public. The airport will surely be India’s no. 1 airport, with an annual capacity of 9 crore passengers. We also have plans to connect Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport with NMIA through a metro link, as well as terminal-to-terminal connectivity for passenger convenience.”
Shinde praised the NMIA team for their expedited work and referred to newly appointed CIDCO Shirsat as a “lucky muse” for the project. He assured that the airport will be completed by the March deadline, if not sooner.
These tests followed the commissioning of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at NMIA, which is crucial for ensuring the airport’s operational readiness. The ILS system assists pilots in making precise landings by providing horizontal and vertical guidance through radio beacons. Earlier attempts to test the ILS in July and August had been delayed due to heavy rains.
During the trial, a few flights into Mumbai were expected to face delays of 30 minutes to an hour to accommodate the turboprop aircraft conducting the ILS tests at Navi Mumbai. However, the flights at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were not affected, according to officials.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the cyber police headquarters at Mahape, Navi Mumbai. Addressing the press at that event, he said, “We are pleased to announce the successful trial landings at NMIA, a milestone for our government’s dream project. This development is expected to boost the GDP of the MMR, benefit passengers, and increase cargo movements. Following these tests, the airport will be made available to the public as soon as possible.”
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