Jakkur Aerodrome

Jakkur Aerodrome (ICAO: VOJK) is an airport located in Jakkur, a suburb of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It is the only dedicated general aviation field in Bangalore. The airfield is the site of the Government Flying Training School (GFTS), the only flying school in the state.[2]

Jakkur Aerodrome
View from flyover
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of Karnataka
LocationJakkur, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Elevation AMSL3,010 ft / 917 m
Coordinates13°04′37″N 77°35′51″E
Map
VOJK
VOJK
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
08/26 2,953 900 Asphalt
Source: Great Circle Mapper[1]

The aerodrome is spread over 214 acres (87 ha). The premises include facilities for flight training, area leased to private parties for hangars and maintenance activities and other common facilities (airstrip, fuel station etc.).[3]

History

The Maharaja of Mysore acquired over 200 acres (81 ha) of land to build Jakkur Aerodrome, which opened in 1948.[4] The airfield was then transferred to the Government of Karnataka on the condition that the latter would only build a flying school at Jakkur.[5] The Government Flying Training School (GFTS) was established on 26 March 1949.[6] It operated smoothly until 1997, when it faced a shortage of aircraft, fuel, maintenance engineers and flying instructors.[7] The school has operated sporadically since then.[4]

In January 2014, a flyover was completed over NH 44 to improve connectivity between the city centre and the international airport. The flyover, over 12 metres (39 ft) high and constructed immediately west of the runway at Jakkur, presents an obstruction to aircraft landing at the aerodrome.[8] Although the western half of the runway had already been closed off to accommodate, the government closed Jakkur Aerodrome on 8 June. The GFTS was forced to relocate, with 18 students still undergoing training.[2] The school continued students' training at the airports in Hubli and Mysore.[9] However, by October 2014 the school had resumed operations.[10] The western portion of the runway remains closed, but a 170 metres (560 ft) extension is planned.[11]

Runway

Jakkur Aerodrome has a single runway, oriented 08/26 with dimensions 900 by 20 metres (2,953 ft × 66 ft).[1] However, the runway threshold on the 08 side has been displaced to the east because of the obstructing flyover on the western side of the airfield.[11] A taxiway runs parallel to the runway on its north side.

Government Flying Training School

The Government of Karnataka has been operating a flying school at Jakkur Aerodrome since 1949. The Government Flying Training School (GFTS) houses aircraft maintenance facilities, an aircraft and storage hangar, a library and other facilities.[12] It has a fleet of two Cessna 152s and two Cessna 172s.[6] The school also operates air traffic control at the airfield.[12]

1 (Kar) Air Squadron NCC

1 (Karnataka) Air Squadron NCC is a premier NCC Air Squadron of India and operates from Jakkur Aerodrome. The Unit was raised on 1 June 1954 as 1 (Mysore) Air Sqn NCC and in 1973 was designated 1 (Karnataka) Air Sqn NCC. This Unit imparts flying and institutional training to Air Wing Cadets of the NCC.

1 (Kar) Air Sqn NCC, Unit Hq located at Jakkur Aerodrome, Bengaluru, India. In picture is the flypast over the Unit HQ during a closing ceremony of All India Vayu Sainik Camp.

Other operators

Jakkur serves as a base for several private aviation companies, including Confident Airlines,[13] Jupiter Aviation Services,[14] Agni Aviation[15] and Bangalore Aerosports, which have popularised microlight flying from the airfield.[16][17]

See also

References
  1. "VOJK - Airport". Great Circle Mapper. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  2. Patil, Ramu (7 August 2014). "Some Hope Still for Jakkur Flying School". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  3. "GTFS website". Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  4. David, Stephen (24 January 2009). "Government flying school takes off again". India Today. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  5. Subhashchandra, N. S. (14 September 2014). "Jakkur airport, cold-shouldered by a NHAI project". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  6. Bhattacharya, Arka (14 April 2016). "New plane gives flying school enough tailwind". The Economic Times. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. David, Stephen (31 March 1997). "Caught in tailspin". India Today. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  8. "Dreams grounded as Jakkur flying club shuts down". The Times of India. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  9. C. S., Hemanth (5 March 2014). "Bangalore: HAL of a nightmare for Jakkur flying school". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  10. S., Kushala (1 October 2014). "Flying training school at Jakkur reopens". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  11. Patil, Ramu (28 April 2015). "Jakkur Flying School Stays, Gets Bigger Runway". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  12. "Infrastructure". Government Flying Training School, Jakkur, Bangalore. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  13. Confident Airlines Maiden Flight from Jakkur Aerodrome
  14. S., Kushala (24 December 2014). "Rentals down at airstrip, but pvt operators still unhappy". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  15. "Govt Flying School to be Shifted to HAL Airport". The New Indian Express. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2016. Capt Arvind Sharma of Agni Aviation that operates from Jakkur had approached the High Court raising security concerns over the elevated road.
  16. C. S., Hemanth (20 May 2013). "The new rage in Bangalore is microlight". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  17. Sukumar, Sneha (29 February 2016). "Incredible 'LITE'ness of being". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
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