The much-awaited radar facility at Cochin International Airport Ltd became a reality with the radar system procured by the Airports Authority of India. The radar system installed at CIAL is a combination of Approach Surveillance Radar (ASR) and Mono-pulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR).

The Radar Facility was inaugurated on 13th Sept. 2013 by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Shri.K.C.Venugopal in the presence of Shri.K. Babu, Minister for Excise, Ports & Airports (GoK) & Director CIAL and Shri.V.J.Kurian IAS, MD CIAL and Addl. Chief Secretary to Govt. of Kerala.”

Installation of the radar at CIAL will tremendously improve the safety of the airport as well as optimize runway utilization. This will also reduce the landing time from the present 6 to 9 minutes to approximately 3 minutes. Once the full-fledged operations are commenced, the aircraft landing and take-off will be totally under the control of the radar controller, thereby minimizing the need for any judgment by the pilot during these procedures, even under conditions of very limited visibility. This will vastly enhance the safety of operations besides minimizing the holding time of aircraft for landing, thereby saving fuel and also cutting down emissions.