Birsa Munda Airport

Birsa Munda Airport बिरसा मुंडा हवाई अड्डे
IATA: IXR – ICAO: VERC IXR Location of airport in India
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Airports Authority of India
Serves	Ranchi
Location	Hinoo, Ranchi
Elevation AMSL	2,148 ft / 646 m
Coordinates	23°18′51″N 085°19′18″E / 23.31417°N 85.32167°E
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 13/31 2,713 8,901 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface m ft H1 19 63 Asphalt
Statistics (2014)
Passenger movements 581,700 Aircraft movements 7,612 Cargo tonnage 3,294
Source: AAI[1]

Birsa Munda Airport (IATA: IXR, ICAO: VERC) is a public domestic airport serving the city of Ranchi and is managed by Airports Authority of India. It is located in Hinoo locality, approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) from the centre of the city. It is the 37th busiest airport in India. Till 2005 it had only 2 flights a day operated by Indian Airlines. In 2005 Air Deccan Started operating to Kolkata, Patna, Raipur and Delhi making the total flights going up to 7 a day. It is named after an Indian tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.

Terminals

There is only one integrated Terminal with facilities for travel desks, lounges, etc. was inaugurated on 24 March 2013 in a function attended by Mr. Ajit Singh, Minister of Civil Aviation, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, Jharkhand governor Syed Ahmed, Ranchi MP Subodh Kant Sahay and Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu. In the next few days, the tax on ATF was reduced from 20% to 4% to attract more airlines to the city. Also, night landing at BMA has been made free so that there may be more flights to the metro cities in the morning.^[2] The Airports Authority of India also announced the construction of three more parking bays, thereby making it the first Tier-II airport in India to have 8 planned parking bays.^[3]

Airlines and destinations

An IndiGo Airbus A320 on the apron.

Airlines	Destinations
Air India	Delhi
GoAir	Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Patna
IndiGo	Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna

Incidents and accidents

• On 19 October 2011, a Dhruv helicopter of Border Security Force departed from Birsa Munda Airport to Chaibasa, crashed into hills near Khunti, killing all occupants on board. Investigation concluded that pilot became spatially disoriented while solving a technical snag and applied excessive inputs to the helicopter while returning to the airport which resulted in severe rotor damage, causing the crash.^[4]
• On 9 May 2012, an AgustaWestland AW109 helicopter departed from Birsa Munda Airport to Kuchai Helipad, carrying the then Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Arjun Munda, crashed on the airport while executing an emergency landing after the helicopter developed problems with rudder control and returned to Birsa Munda Airport. All passengers and crew survived.^[5]

External links

Media related to Birsa Munda Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Ranchi Airport at Airports Authority of India
• World Aero Data page for VERC
• Airport information for VERC: Birsa Munda Airport at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
• Accident history for IXR: Ranchi Airport at Aviation Safety Network

References

1. "TRAFFIC STATISTICS - DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS" (jsp). Aai.aero. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
2. "Ranchi’s double treat for flyers, airlines — Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
3. "Ranchi airport to get 3 more parking bays — Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
4. http://dgca.nic.in/accident/reports/VT-BSH.pdf
5. http://dgca.gov.in/accident/reports/VT-VKS.pdf