Mumbai Airport Officials Conduct Full Scale Aircraft Emergency Preparedness Drill

In a strategic move to fortify its crisis response capabilities, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai orchestrated a meticulously planned Full Scale Aircraft Emergency Exercise (FSAEE) on November 22, 2023.

The two-hour long exercise began at 12:00 hours and concluded at approximately 14:05 hours. The mock exercise was conducted by simulating an aircraft overshooting the runway and its undercarriage catching fire.

The simulation tests the preparedness of multiple stakeholders involved to respond to emergencies in real-time and to prevent loss of life and damage to property, while ensuring no disruption to normal operations at Mumbai airport.

For the exercise (code named Black Panther), a medium sized aircraft model was used as a mock-up aircraft that overshot the runway. The under carriage of the mock-up aircraft was set ablaze to replicate the plane catching fire. The drill began by the ATC notifying key stakeholders about a fire on the mock-up aircraft.

The FSAEE is a biennial exercise which was previously conducted in 2019 and 2021. It tests the resilience of participating agencies and allows stakeholders to understand and evaluate their preparedness while maintaining operational continuity. The exercise involved multiple stakeholders including MIAL, Airlines, Air Traffic Control, CISF, Airport Health Organization, Customs, Immigration, Ground Handling Agencies, Mumbai Police, Mumbai Fire Brigade, Civil Defence, State Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Response force, MCGM Disaster Management Cell, Hospitals and Ambulance Services. International Civil Aviation Organization and DGCA regulations mandate   airports   to conduct a full-scale aircraft emergency exercise once every two years.

Beyond compliance with regulations, these drills serve as a testament to CSMIA's commitment to passenger safety, continuously refining protocols, and upholding the highest standards in crisis management. CSMIA takes utmost precaution and conducts these simulations to reskill and refine policies and procedures in their contingency plans and to work towards providing a safe, secure, and resilient travel environment for all our passengers and the aviation community.