First test flight lands at Noida airport

The first test flight, an IndiGo plane, is accorded a customary water salute upon its landing at the Noida International Airport amid ongoing trials, at Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday.

- RAGHAV AGGARWAL

THE FIRST VALIDATION flight landed successfully at the Noida International Airport on Monday.

An IndiGo plane, Airbus A320 took off from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi with crew members and landed in Noida, which welcomed it with a water salute.

The airport aims to start operations by April 2025.

A validation flight is a test flight conducted to verify that the airport meets safety, operational, and regulatory standards. After this test, the data collected is usually shared with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Upon approval by DGCA, the authorities can apply for an aerodrome licence, which allows them to operate as an airport.

Speaking at the event, minister of civil aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said the airport will commence its commercial operations by April next year.

"Now with the validation flight happening today, we are committed to finish the project before the end of April," he said. "I am once again suggesting the date to the NIA team also. So that they can complete it as early as possible."