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KK Airport has no instrument landing system, endangering passengers

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The Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) has been operating without the Instrument Landing System (ILS) since upgrading works began several months ago, raising fears of an accident which could cost lives.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy secretary-general Darell Leiking revealed that the ILS was removed to facilitate construction works on the runway and to date, has not been re-installed, despite the runway being in full operations.

The ILS - a ground based instrument - combines radio signals and high intensity lightning to provide precision guidance to the pilot when approaching and landing on any runway.

"I hope that a better system would be put in place but I am told that the ILS is the most appropriate landing system and used all over airports in Malaysia and in the world.

"Without the ILS, many pilots are finding it difficult to land in bad weather and at night," the Penampang Member of Parliament added.

The absence of the ILS, Leiking noted, has caused many flights to be delayed, especially during the rainy season.

"My question is, if this is true, why is this important instrument not re-installed?"

He disclosed that the guidance system currently being used at KKIA is the basic non-precision approach known as VOR (VHF Omnidirectional range) and the DME (Distance Measuring Equipment).

"I was made to understand that this system is not as accurate compared to the ILS, especially during rain. This has caused unnecessary delays.

"Since the main contractor for the upgrading works on the airport had their contract terminated sometime last year, the taxiway is still not completed and most of the taxiway's lights are also not functioning," Leiking said, adding that the overall condition of the airport was deplorable.

"The maintenance of the airport is very poor, including non-lighted runways and overgrown grass surrounding the runway, which covers the signages. Another complaint received is the uneven surface of the runway," he added.

The same problem, he went on, could be seen on the perimeter roads linking Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, used by airport staff and fuel trucks.

He called on Malaysia Airport Holdings, the Transport Ministry and the Department of Civil Aviation to investigate these complaints and review the safety of the KKIA and its facilities.

"The authorities should issue a written assurance to the public that there are no possible dangers posed at the airport especially without the ILS," he said. - August 1, 2013.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/kk-airport-has-no-instrument-landing-system-endangering-passengers-says-pkr

So pilots can't live without ILS now??

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My flight landed smoothly at night during the haze last month.

In 2007, I was onboard Boeing 777 flight which landed at runway 20 during the midnight drizzle, and it was a smooth landing. :-)

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This one i have to agree. Its been more than a year. What would make it worse, during marginal weather and RWY 20 in use. No approach lighting, just threshold light and PAPI. Sure, when no visual, go around. But with ILS, its more accurate ( no offset ) and lower decision height.

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Accident happens then only take action. I think this is a good call by the PKR man.

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Another badly handled project by MAHB. :(

 

While it may sound dramatic, it is really no joke if a plane crashes. So far, we have been lucky as pilots are vigilant and professional. But luck has a habit of running out.... ;)

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I think I saw someone saying in the Asiana crash thread that the ILS in BKI will be back in 2039? Is this true? If so, what's taking it that long?

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I assume they are still sorting out all the legal brouhaha with TPK? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel for this? This one is dated Dec 19th 2012.

 

Firm stops work at Kota Kinabalu International Airport

 


KOTA KINABALU: Global Upline Sdn Bhd (GUSB) announced that it has stopped all work to develop the Kota Kin­abalu International Airport (KKIA).


Its Chief Advisor, Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing,
said the Ministry of Transport (MOT) failed to fulfil its promise to
issue a Certificate of Practical Com-pletion (CPC) to GUSB upon
completion of section one of the works in Package 2 of the project by
April 30 this year.


This, he said, meant the runway was not safe for landing and take-off
as well as other runway operations since it had been certified
non-complete by MOT and would be closed.


“By April 30 this year GUSB had practically completed section one of
the works by using its best financial endeavour and fully utilised its
available resources.


“MOT, however, refused to issue the CPC and subsequent release of 50%
of the Banker’s Guarantee (BG) and instead, issued a Certificate of
Non-Completion (CNC) and imposed Liquidated Damages (LAD),” he said in a
statement here yesterday.


According to Ting, section one included runway extension, resurface
of existing runway, new taxiways A, C, D, E and K, installation of a 7km
high tension cable and three automated pump stations.


Apart from the KKIA project, Ting said MOT had also refused to pay
RM113mil contractual claim for the upgrade of Kuching International
Airport and RM21mil for Labuan Airport, and left GUSB with no choice but
to commence legal action to recover the outstanding payment. —Bernama


 

http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=%2f2012%2f12%2f19%2fnation%2f12479262&sec=nation

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No GNSS approaches at BKI?

 

There is VOR/DME approach for both runways. For new generation aircraft (320,738) it is not really a problem - there is always VNAV/LNAV or FAP/GP approach, but they are not as precise as ILS. As such the minima is quite high, therefore a successful approach during inclement weather is more difficult.

 

Yes most people can handle it. Most people can handle SFO as well.

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Pilots are trained to land with just VOR/DME or just visual to guide them. But to be more safer, ILS should be back up at KKIA. For SFO incident, i think the pilots didnt realise that they went below the glideslope.

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This is not about whether a pilot can or cannot land without ILS. The BKI airport project is an absolute mess and yet nothing is really being done to correct it.

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This is not about whether a pilot can or cannot land without ILS. The BKI airport project is an absolute mess and yet nothing is really being done to correct it.

Nail hit on the head there :good:

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So PKR is trying to blame the government for the crap work at KKIA by dragging in pilots? The article gives the impression that without ILS all hell will break loose.

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Guys, put politics aside. With ILS it will be much easier for the pilots to make an approach an landing into KKIA. In bad weather the more help they can get is better.

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Follow up on the earlier article...

 

 

KK airport operating without key landing system, risks accident like Asiana crash in San Francisco

 

Malaysia's second busiest airport -- the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) -- has been operating without an Instrument Landing System (ILS) since upgrading works a few months ago, raising fears of an accident similar to the Asiana crash in San Francisco last month.

PKR deputy secretary-general Darell Leiking revealed that the ILS was removed to facilitate construction works on the runway and to date, has not been re-installed, despite the runway being used for flights.

The ILS - a ground based instrument - combines radio signals and high intensity lightning to provide precision guidance to the pilot when approaching and landing on any runway. In the San Francisco crash on July 6, the ILS had been switched off.

"I hope that a better system would be put in place but I am told that the ILS is the most appropriate landing system and used all over airports in Malaysia and in the world.

"Without the ILS, many pilots are finding it difficult to land in bad weather and at night," the Penampang MP added.

The absence of the ILS, Leiking noted, has caused many flights to be delayed, especially during the rainy season.

"My question is, if this is true, why is this important instrument not re-installed?"

He disclosed that the guidance system currently being used at KKIA is the basic non-precision approach known as VOR (VHF Omnidirectional range) and the DME (Distance Measuring Equipment).

"I was made to understand that this system is not as accurate compared to the ILS, especially during rain. This has caused unnecessary delays.

"Since the main contractor for the upgrading works on the airport had their contract terminated sometime last year, the taxiway is still not completed and most of the taxiway's lights are also not functioning," Leiking said, adding that the overall condition of the airport was deplorable.

"The maintenance of the airport is very poor, including non-lighted runways and overgrown grass surrounding the runway, which covers the signages. Another complaint received is the uneven surface of the runway," he added.

The same problem, he went on, could be seen on the perimeter roads linking Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, used by airport staff and fuel trucks.

He called on Malaysia Airport Holdings, the Transport Ministry and the Department of Civil Aviation to investigate these complaints and review the safety of the KKIA and its facilities.

"The authorities should issue a written assurance to the public that there are no possible dangers posed at the airport especially without the ILS," he said.

The KKIA is one of five international airports in the country and the second busiest after KL International Airport (KLIA).

On Oct 25 last year, the KKIA was closed for a night after the runway lights malfunctioned, forcing several incoming and outgoing flights to be cancelled or rescheduled and leaving many passengers stranded.

In the San Francisco airplane crash early last month, it was found that the ILS at the airport was turned off when a South Korean airliner crashed into the runway at an awkward angle, killing two people and injuring more than 100 others. - August 1, 2013

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/kk-airport-has-no-instrument-landing-system-endangering-passengers-says-pkr

Gee... I teach Radio Navigation and I'm not aware that ILS "combines radio signals and high intensity lightning"...

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..... and I'm not aware that ILS "combines radio signals and high intensity lightning"...

Yup, was a bit surprised they have managed to harness mother nature's fury for such precise use at KKIA :lol:

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I hope for the sake of fliers to KK that the ILS will be installed back soonest possible. We do not want to have an incidence to proof our concerns' validity on this issue.

2nd.busiest airport in Malaysia and it has been operating without ILS. I wondered where all the revenue go?

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The airfield at KUL and even KCH is maintained quite well, the grass is immaculate, I'd say. But in BKI, it seems like it is not quite finished. I hv to agree that sooner or later (better sooner), ILS should be reinstalled in BKI. For now, passengers arriving at the airport are transported by skillful pilots for sure, but in the future anything can happen even during clear days!

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Although at the risk of hamsterwheeling on this topic, i like to add.

 

The difference between a VOR-DME approach and an ILS approach is not life threatening.

The difference is a higher Missed Approach Point at the first one where you have to go missed when not visual with the runway.

With the weather situation in Malaysia this can mean that sometimes approaches can not be conducted, diverts have to be made or

holding till the weather improves. In these instances, the fare paying public has not been served a quality product by this particular airport.

Not to worry so much on the pilots conducting the VOR-DME. This NavAid is lined up in front of the runway and the procedure should be a piece of cake.

 

As Capt. Radzi says, if your flightdeck has playstations, and you know how to use them, you can even have the cake and eat it too.

 

That whomever was resonsible for the present situation has made a mess out of things i agree. If this is called Boleh, then i disagree, i call it Haram.

 

Cheers

Art

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Absence of ILS is hardly 'endangering'. Going by PKR guy's logic then the likes of Bario, Mukah etc are endangering passengers' lives too.

 

Politicians and aviation, oil and water.

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Absence of ILS is hardly 'endangering'. Going by PKR guy's logic then the likes of Bario, Mukah etc are endangering passengers' lives too.

 

Politicians and aviation, oil and water.

 

We're talking about commercial jet aircrafts with hundreds of passengers with some degree of automation involved. As more flights expected to land at the airport in the future, expect more risks.

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In these instances, the fare paying public has not been served a quality product by this particular airport.

 

This I agree. Projects here means money "missing" somewhere.

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