Flying school grounded over flight paths

Chennai: The Airports Authority of India is unwilling to give the green flag to the proposed flying school named after Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur, citing technical difficulties.
“..the proposed flying school (requiring about 300 acres) will interfere with the Chennai flying area, and we cannot give our approval for it,” said a highly placed source in AAI.
The idea of a flying school in Rajiv’s name was mooted by the Congress in the Assembly. Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had also given his nod for the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Aeronautical Science and Training and Pilots Academy.
Meanwhile, pilots attached to the national and private carriers objected to the location. The flying area of the academy would have a five-mile radius and flights arriving at Chennai airport would not be able to use the Instrument Landing System for Runway 07.
Besides, carriers approaching the runway typically glide at around 1,800 feet and wait to be guided before coming into land. But flying school trainees too would be piloting flights around that level.
16/04/08 B Aravind Kumar/Times of India