🇮🇳 Bidar Airport / Bidar Air Force Station

Bidar Airport (IATA: IXX, ICAO: VOBR) is a domestic airport operating as a civil enclave within the Indian Air Force's Bidar Air Force Station in Bidar, Karnataka, India. It is a joint-user airfield, accommodating both defense and civil operations.

Notable Features and History:

• Bidar Air Force Station is one of India's oldest military air bases, established during World War II.
• It has served as a training center for Indian Air Force pilots since 1963 and is the second-largest flight training center in India.
• The base is home to the Hawk Operational Training Squadrons (HOTS) and the Weapon System Operators' School, providing advanced jet training on Hawk Mk 132 aircraft.
• The Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT) of the Indian Air Force flew its first six-aircraft formation sortie from Bidar Air Force Station in 1996 and was re-established with Hawk Mk-132 aircraft in 2017.
• A civilian terminal was built in 2008-2009 to allow commercial flight operations.
• The runway was extended to 9000 feet in 2011, and new facilities for aircraft engine maintenance and testing were added.

Current Status:

• Bidar Airport is operational for both IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) and VFR (Visual Flight Rules) traffic.
• It is owned by the Indian Air Force and operated by both the Indian Air Force and the GMR Group.
• The airport has two asphalt runways: 02/20 (2,120 meters) and 08/26 (2,072 meters).
• Passenger traffic between April 2023 and March 2024 was 16,507, with 470 aircraft movements.
• Limited parking facilities require prior coordination.
• Rescue and firefighting services are available, with the aerodrome categorized as CAT-7 within ATS operational hours.

*Sources researched: aim-india.aai.aero, en.wikipedia.org, centreforaviation.com, flightera.net*