Govt Clears Nation's First Indigenous 'PinS' Procedure for Helicopter Operations

The government on Wednesday announced the approval of the country’s first private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations at Undavalli Heliport, which is a significant milestone in India’s aviation sector.

PinS (Point-in-Space) procedures use advanced satellite-based navigation technology to enable helicopters to conduct safe and precise instrument approaches to heliports that do not have conventional instrument landing infrastructure.

This is particularly beneficial during adverse weather conditions and in areas where ground-based navigation aids are not available.

Developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the PinS procedure has been designed in accordance with DGCA regulations and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices.

“The introduction of India's first PinS Instrument Approach Procedure marks the beginning of a new era in helicopter operations by significantly enhancing flight safety, operational efficiency and all-weather accessibility. I sincerely appreciate the coordinated efforts of all concerned agencies including the Airports Authority of India, DGCA and the state government of Andhra Pradesh in achieving this historic milestone,” said Minister for Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu.

“Our foremost priority is the adoption of modern technologies to make helicopter operations more reliable and more accessible across the country,” he added.

The minister said they recently concluded the first phase of this year's Char Dham helicopter operations successfully without any incident supported by upgraded technological infrastructure.

“Our commitment is to build a technology-driven and globally benchmarked helicopter ecosystem in India,” he added.

The introduction of the country's first PinS Instrument Approach Procedure is another major milestone in this journey. It reinforces the Government's vision of modernising aviation infrastructure through Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), expanding the use of indigenous satellite-based navigation technologies and aligning India's aviation ecosystem with global best practices.

The approval is expected to pave the way for the development of similar PinS procedures across the country, benefiting emergency medical services, disaster relief operations, tourism, offshore activities, pilgrimage services, corporate aviation, and regional connectivity.