Daman Airport Explained

Daman Airport
Iata:NMB
Icao:VADN
Pushpin Map:India
Pushpin Relief:1
Pushpin Label:NMB
Pushpin Marksize:10
Coordinates:20.4344°N 72.8433°W
Type:Military
Operator:Indian Coast Guard
Location:Daman, India
Elevation-F:33
Elevation-M:10
Metric-Elev:y
Metric-Rwy:y
R1-Number:03/21
R1-Length-F:5,909
R1-Length-M:1,801
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:10/28
R2-Length-F:3,282
R2-Length-M:1,000
R2-Surface:Asphalt

Daman Airport is a military airbase at Daman in the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It is home to the Indian Coast Guard Air Station, Daman which provides ATC and parking facilities to Defence as well as civilian aircraft.[1]

History

Daman Airport was built in the 1950s by the Government of Portuguese India. The TAIP (Portuguese India Airlines) commenced operations to Daman on 29 August 1955. TAIP linked Daman with Goa, Diu and Karachi until December 1961, when Daman was liberated by the Indian Armed Forces, with TAIP ceasing operations.[2]

The Indian Coast Guard deployed its first Dornier Squadron at Daman in January 1987 followed by its first full-fledged Air Station in October 1987.[1]

Structure

Daman Airport has two intersecting asphalt runways.

The main runway 03/21 is 5910 ft (1801 m) long and 45 m wide while the secondary runway 10/28 is 3284 ft (1001 m) long and 25 m wide. The airport is equipped with Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR), Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), Doppler Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range (DVOR) – Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and Non-Directional Beacon (NDB), as navigation aids.[1]

Indian Coast Guard Air Station

The station has two squadrons under its administrative and operational control.

The station also caters for maritime reconnaissance and SAR coverage along the north west coast. Dornier and Chetak aircraft are detached from Daman for operational commitments along the coast. Conduct of adventurous activities is a regular feature. For that the station is equipped with one micro light aircraft and one power glider. The training for Sea Cadet Corps are undertaken at the air station.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indian Coast Guard Website. 1 November 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111031163445/http://indiancoastguard.nic.in/indiancoastguard/aviation/aviation.html. 31 October 2011.
  2. Web site: Dabolim and TAIP. 1 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110927181228/http://www.colaco.net/1/GdeFdabolim2.htm. 27 September 2011. dead.