User:Kharbaan Ghaltaan/Sonari Airport

Sonari Airport (IATA: IXW, ICAO: VEJS), also Jamshedpur Airport is a regional airport in Jamshedpur, India. The airport is owned by Tata Steel. It is located approximately 4.4 km (2.7 mi) from the city center. It is the main airport serving the city of Jamshedpur and adjoining regions. The airport was in commercial operations until 2016, when public flights from the airport was ceased and only charter planes used to operate.

After efforts taken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of Jharkhand and Tata Steel, The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted licence to the airport for public use on 25 January 2023. It reopened for commercial operations between Kolkata and Bhubaneswar from 31 January 2023. Sonari Airport became third operational airport in the state after Birsa Munda Airport of Ranchi and Deoghar Airport. The state government has future plans to develop the airport further, while plans are also to construct a new airport on the city's outskirts, which has been previously used in World War II.

Early years
In 1934, Tata Steel (then Tata Iron and Steel Company) decided to build an airport for the city. The landing ground was used by the Aviation Department for their historic experimental flight from Mumbai (then Bombay) to Kolkata (Calcutta) carrying mails of the Imperial Government. This event generated significant interest, and following it, the steel company decided to purchase an airplane for the use of its officers. Initially, the company purchased a De Haviland "Leopard Moth" Monoplane with a cruising speed of 100 miles per hour and a maximum speed of 140 miles per hour. The plane was initially used for short flights between Jamshedpur, Calcutta, and the nearby collieries. However, it was later used for flights to Bombay, Delhi, and other distant locations. The success of this plane led the steel company to purchase a larger aircraft in 1939, capable of carrying five individuals. This new plane was a Waco Bi-plane fitted with a Jacob's Radial Engine of 285 B.H.P., with a cruising speed of 140 miles per hour and a maximum speed of 160 miles per hour.

In terms of infrastructure, the airport initially had a corrugated iron hangar, which was later replaced by a concrete and steel structure capable of accommodating two large and four small planes. The landing ground was initially laid out in the form of a "T" with a maximum run of 550 yards. The airport was opened in 1940 by the Tata Group and gave the ownership to its subsidiary, Tata Steel. During the world war II, three airfields were established around Jamshedpur at Chakulia, Dhalbhumgarh and Kalaikunda.

Closure and reopening
In 1984, 45 seats of Vayudoot from Sonari Airport in Jamshedpur were serving Kolkata and Patna, then in 2004-2005, MDLR was serving 74 seats and Deccan was serving 40 seats. MDLR’s airlines used to connect the city to the states of Delhi, Chandigarh and Goa. In past years, the airport was served by airlines like Kingfisher Airlines and MDLR Airlines, which discontinued services due to various reasons despite recording good traffic. The Deccan Air started flights from Kolkata in 2007. In 2009, MDLR Airlines introduced flights for Delhi, Ranchi and Kolkata. While MDLR ceased operations due to internal issues, Kingfisher had to discontinue services in November 2009 after load restrictions were imposed due to the short length of the runway.

Since Kingfisher operated larger ATR-42 and ATR-72 aircraft respectively, operations became unviable. Scheduled flights were supposed to begin in 2018 under the government's UDAN Scheme, however, this did not take place. While the Dhalbhumgarh project was not getting any stage of progress. After efforts from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of Jharkhand and Tata Steel, the airport has been reopened on 31 January 2023, with flight services provided by the new low-cost regional airline, IndiaOne Air, to Kolkata and Bhubaneswar.

Future plans
A new airport ( Greenfield airport ) was proposed in Adityapur-Seraikela area. This airport would boast of a 7,000 feet long runway and spread across 600 acres. Also, it would be well equipped to handle A320 flights. For establishing this new airport, a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed on 20th February, 2012, by AAI and Jharkhand Government. The land for this project was to be provided to AAI by the Jharkhand government. But the project faced hurdles from the local population, over land acquisition issues. As the airport is too small to handle regular commercial operations and also because of no space for expansion due to its location within the city, the airport will be replaced with a new airport at Dhalbhumgarh, which will be built at an initial investment ₹100 crores. The entire cost for construction of airport will be ₹300 crores which will be completed in two phases. It will be built on a former World War II era airfield. The construction of airport is expected to start once it receives necessary forest clearance from the Forest Department of the State Government, which is still under progress.

Chakulia Airport was built during the World War II, on the city's outskirts. Since Dhalbhumgarh site is facing hurdles, the village's natives have suggest to consider Chakulia Airport to redevelop as an airport for Jamshedpur. In 2023, Chakulia-based activist Jamuna Tudu met Droupadi Murmu discussing the issue of Elephant corridor near the project site and suggested Chakulia Airport to redevelop as an international airport. Earlier JMM demanded to develop a cargo airport at Chakulia.

Facilities
Its runway is in length of 1222 m and spread over an area of 25 acre. Direction of the runway is 08/26 and have an asphalt surface. The airport has a single terminal, which consists all necessary components of ticketing counters, baggage area, security check-ins and boarding gate. The passenger terminal have a signboard top of the terminal bearing the name "Jamshedpur Airport". Fire station, hangars and fuel storage facilities are also available in the airport premises.

In 2022, a plea was made by A.K Srivastava on behalf Jamshedpur's Citizen Forum and Srivastava is chairman of the forum. The plea suggests that the existing airport in Jamshedpur has limitations in terms of the length of the airstrip, making it difficult for larger aircraft like Boeing airplanes to land there. Tata Group, which operates airlines such as Air India, Vistara, Air Asia, and Singapore Airlines, is encouraged to consider operating smaller aircraft and regional airliners, such as ATR planes, from Jamshedpur, connecting them to the airlines at Ranchi or Kolkata airports. This would involve allowing passengers to board with their luggage in Jamshedpur itself, saving space on the smaller aircraft. If there are vacant seats, passengers may also be allowed to transfer between the four airlines.

This move is suggested to improve the seat load factor and connectivity for passengers. The commercial viability of this option should be explored. Alternatively, if operating smaller aircraft is not feasible, the passage proposes considering an airport bus service. Passengers would receive their boarding passes and have their baggage boarded in Jamshedpur itself, and the service would provide transportation between Jamshedpur and Ranchi/Kolkata at fixed intervals. This facility would allow people from Jamshedpur to plan their day's schedule and return to Jamshedpur at night, eliminating the need to stay overnight in Ranchi or Kolkata.

Flying School
Alchemist Aviation is a flying institution, whose campus is located within the airport premises. It the first and only flying institute of Jharkhand, which was established in 1994. The institution has a simulator, classroom, library and a hangar. There are three Cessna 152, one Cessna 172 and one Piper Seneca in possession of the flight training school, which will be used for the training. The institution is offering seats for 50 candidates and the eligibility is intermediate in science (physics, chemistry and mathematics) along with medical examination certificate from a DGCA approved physician (chest X Ray, ECG, EEG, ENT and eye vision test) with a minimum age being 17 years.

Engineering College
Aerospace Research & Development Center is an aircraft maintenance college located in the airport area. It is approved the Indian government. The college offers an AME Course in category B 1.2 (Aeroplane Piston), which is approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation India (DGCA). It was opened in November 2017 after getting approval from the DGCA. ARDC is under Sha-Shib Group.

Accidents

 * On 2024, a small flight of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi made an emergency landing after finding out that the plane was not working properly.