Mumbai (India)

Mumbai is one of the most operationally challenging airports in the region. Significant factors include:

• difficult ATC environment;
• significantly delayed descents;
• bad weather (thunderstorms and monsoons);
• low visibility;
• poor radar vectoring;
• significant terrain;
• high landing weights;
• steep glideslopes;
• large displaced thresholds;
• limited landing distance;
• tailwind landings; and
• animals on the airfield (deers, dogs)
• pyrotechnics released to scare away birds - in the flare

Mumbai is an unusual airport. The airfield is located in the city in a fairly built up area. There are squatter's huts in the immediate vicinity of the airport. You can see the huts just east of taxiway H and more are located in amounst the landing lights for runway 27.

One of the things that makes Mumbai different is the availability of suitable alternates. Luckily diversions from Mumbai are rare. The aircraft is often carrying second sector (CAT B) fuel which allows for a significant amount of holding on arrivial in the event of bad weather. A more likely reason for a diversion would be an unexpected and sudden runway closure. This has happened in the past when an aircraft skidded off the runway near an exit taxiway.

The alternates for VABB are few and far between. Many of the alternates that we use for Mumbai have only a very basic level of facilities and there are often other significant operational considerations such as terrain, approach minima, and available parking space. For example, the table below shows the approach minima of various Mumbai alternate airports. Of particular note are the minima for the various runway directions.

Runway	Best Approach	Minima(HAA/HAT)	RVR/VIS
VAAH - Ahmedabad (238 NM)
05	VOR DME Rwy 05	760'(581')	3200M
23	ILS Rwy 23	430'(214')	720M
VANP - Nagpur (369 NM)
14	VOR DME Rwy 14	1460'(427')	2800M
32	ILS Rwy 32	1240'(233')	720M
OPKC - Karachi (471 NM)
07L	circling	1100'(1000')	4600M
07R	circling	1100'(1000')	4600M
25L	VOR DME ILS Rwy 25L	318'(229')	600M
25R	ILS Rwy 25R	318'(218')	600M
VOMM - Chennai (558 NM)
07	ILS DME Rwy 07	284'(244')	720M
25	VOR DME Rwy 25	810'(758')	4400M
VIDP - Delhi (613 NM)
09	VOR DME Rwy 09	1180'(463')	3200M
10	ILS DME Rwy 10	990'(271')	900M
27	ILS DME Rwy 27	1020'(270')	900M
28	CAT 3A ILS Rwy 28	50'	150M
VECC - Kolkata (900 NM)
01R	ILS Rwy 01R	400'(380')	1200M
19L	ILS Rwy 19L	247'(228')	720M

As you can see, depending on the runway in use there can be a huge difference in the visibility required for the approach. Before you divert you will have to carefully check the latest weather to ensure that the visibility and wind will allow for the intended approach.

R/T procedures tend to very poor. It is routine to have other aircraft transmit right in the middle of your exchange with the Mumbai radar controller. It can also be frustrating when the Radar controller does not answer you. One pilot reported receiving descent clearance at 60 NM past the TOD, a full 80 miles (10 minutes) after the first request!

• Some companies consider Mumbai to be a restricted airport and may have certain restrictions on First Officer flying.
• LWMO and autoland are not available.
• The transition level is quite low, typically FL055. The actual transition level will normally be given on ATIS.
• The port pages contain a lot of detailed information and require more than the normal amount of study time.
• From Bangkok the arrival route is L301R-AAU-G450-BBB. Subject to traffic ATC may clear you direct to IBELA for IBELA-MELAX-OPAKA-BBB (a shortcut). Expect radar vectors for an ILS.
• Runway 27 is normally in use. It has a steep glideslope and a large displaced threshold.
• If you are carrying second sector fuel (or just additional fuel) the aircraft may be very close to maximum landing weight. {B777} Try to join the ILS from slightly below the glideslope with at least flaps five or flaps fifteen and on speed.
• {B777} For landing use full reverse and Autobrakes 3. Use of Autobrake alone can result in a BRAKE TEMP message on the EICAS. Some crews prefer to use Autobrake 4. Use of Autobrake 4 without reverse will definitely cause a BRAKE TEMP caution with brake temperatures above 5 units.
• Wildlife at Mumbai airport includes birds, deers and dogs. Occasionally deer or dogs are spotted on the runway. Dogs are fairly common on the apron area.
• Be ready for rapid-fire taxi instructions after landing. Mumbai controllers often speak very quickly.
• Parking bay 41 has a late turn close in to the final stopping point. You will have to go quite deep into the turn to ensure that the aircraft ends up centered on the taxi line.

• Transition altitude is low at only 4000 feet.
• The departure to Dubai is the Raxet 1A. To Bangkok expect the Anoli 1A, AAU Transition (RWY 27) or 5 (RWY 09).
• ATC will normally require aircraft to be level prior to crossing BIMOT or MELAX. From the BBB VOR it is 150 NM to BIMOT and 160 NM to MELAX. {B777-2/300} Making FL370 by MELAX from runway 27 is often difficult. From runway 09 it is not possible.
• ATC clearances are non-standard in Mumbai. The first clearance will usually be given during the taxi and will not contain the SID. Then just as you are cleared for line up and takeoff, the Tower controller will give you a long drawn-out departure clearance which will be virtually identical to the standard SID programmed into the FMS. Then while you are scratching your head trying to figure it all out he will clear you for immediate takeoff. If you're lucky the Tower controller will actually give you the programmed SID by name.

I have noticed the last few times in and out of BOM that clearances are getting much better. Push back was not allowed until clearance was received. Clearance now include "FL 140 with restrictions", meaning they want you to comply with the restrictions of the SID below FL 140. This can be confusing as some SID's do not have any restrictions below FL140 (Raxet 1A to DXB for example). No further amendments or additions received at any point after push back.

• Due to low visibility and poor signage, it can be difficult to orient yourself while taxiing. Taxiway G is abeam bay 48 and taxiway H is abeam bay 51. Taxiing beyond taxiway H can be a bit of a problem. You might have to get a tug reconnected to turn you around on the apron.
• Back tracking on runway 27 is straight forward and presents no unusual problems. However, you may find yourself waiting for departure until Tower has enough space between landing aircraft to accommodate your back track.
• Terrain is a significant threat for departure from runway 09. Carefully read your companies port pages. There are spot heights over 4000' just beyond 40 NM east of the BBB VOR.

• VAAH - Ahmedabad (358°/238NM) - Fair - This fair weather alternate is the primary alternate for Mumbai. It is not a great choice for an actual diversion. Check out the VAHH port page for more details. Karachi is probably one of the better choices. In any case if you have time you will likely discuss the diversion options with IOC.
• VANP - Nagpur (071°/369NM)- Fair
• OPKC - Karachi (320°/471NM) - Good - You may have to do a circling approach depending on the wind.But dispatcher may not use this airport for VABB alternate because of the political issue.
• VOMM - Chennai (131°/558NM) - Fair

• From 02Jul09/0430: Taxiway rename will be in effected:

fr	to
D	N
C	N8
W	N7
B4	N6
J	W4
L2	L3

The new taxiway signages are fair better than the old one.

Center Wing Tank Fuel - {B777} From Bangkok it is occasionally possible to carry full second sector (CAT B) fuel for the second sector to Dubai. With typical fuel loads you will likely have full wing tanks and some fuel in the center wing tank. If you are flying a 777-300, you may notice on arrival in Mumbai that the remaining CWT fuel (usually about 700 KG) has not scavenged. This is not a fault and should not be written up in the Tech Log. Fuel in the CWT will not scavenge until either main tank fuel is less than 13,100 KG. Since you are landing with just over 30 tonnes, the scavenge system has not yet activated. The fuel will scavenge normally on the second sector. Don't forget that the remaining fuel in the CWT will affect the maximum available ZFW.

First Officer Landings - Company regulations may not permit junior pilots to do the landing if the visibility is low. In Mumbai the visibility generally gets worse throughout the night dropping to below 2000 meters. You may want to give away the first sector of the night so the FO can carry out a landing.

Takeoff Data - If you operate through Mumbai during the nighttime period, you may be feeling very tired. Extra care is needed to ensure that the takeoff data is correct and that it has been correctly entered into the FMS. Takeoffs from Mumbai use a relatively high thrust rating. If the thrust seems unusually low or the FMS calculated speeds disagree, check to make sure that the correct TOW has been used and that the takeoff data is based on departure from the intended point (possibly taxiway H).

Landing Runway 09 - If you are flying in from Dubai, you can make up quite a bit of time by doing a stright-in approach to runway 09. Traffic levels are low during the night periord so you can often be cleared for this approch even if the active runway is 27. You won't normally find out if the approach will be granted until you are transferred from Radar to the approach controller. This occurs quite close to the airport and if you are still on profile for runway 27 you will be quite high. Keep a good lookout for traffic departing from 27. The ILS may or may not be radiating and you might have to remind ATC to switch it on. Finally, be aware that you will probably have to exit on taxiway G. Departing aircraft may be waiting for takeoff on taxiway H. If you miss Gulf then you will have to taxi past Hotel and make a 180° turn on the runway followed by back track to taxiway G.

Landing RWY 32 - No PAPI's visible, would not recommend doing this approach at night. Trombay Hill is massive. Chart says not to descend below MDA until it is in sight. With high approach speeds, consider increasing the MDA to 2000'! the VOR track is offset by 4 degrees to the RWY and right turn for alignment (away from Trombay Hill) is significant. B777 - Close to Max landing weight, A/B 4, Dry RWY, Max Rev it is possible to make Taxiway "F". There is also the option of requesting A1 / A2 rather than 180 deg turn at the end of RWY 32.