BACKGROUND    

      The need for a full fledged Air wing for Indian Coast Guard was felt right from the time of its inception. The first ICG aviation unit to be commissioned was 800 SQN on 22 May 1982 with two Chetak helicopters at Goa.

      The first fixed wing squadron of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was commissioned with 02 Fokker Friendship (F-27) aircraft on 30 Jul 1983. These aircraft were taken on dry lease from Indian Airlines. These aircraft  did a yeomen service to ICG through their tireless operation from DUM DUM Airport in maritime surveillance and SAR roles covering the entire Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) .

      The first planned induction included 12 fixed wing aircraft for Coastal surveillance and 06 single engine helicopter to support ships at sea.

      The first Dornier squadron was commissioned as 700 SQN(ICG) at Daman in Jan 1987.

    The first full fledged Air Station was commissioned at Daman on 29 Oct 1987. Since then the following air squadrons/flights have come into service and they are:-

Fixed Wing Squadrons 700 Sqn (ICG)     Daman 700 Sqn (ICG)     Kolkatta 744 Sqn (ICG)     Chennai   745 Sqn (ICG)     Port Blair   747 Sqn (ICG)     Kochi
Rotary Wing Squadrons 800 Sqn (ICG)      Goa 841 Sqn (ICG)      Daman   842 Sqn (ICG)      Mumbai   848 Sqn (ICG)      Chennai   CTK Flt                 Port Blair

 

Advanced Light          Helicopter           CGEFU                 Goa

     The role of these squadrons include search and rescue and embarkation on board helicopter operating ships to undertake following missions:-

ORGANISATION

     At present the air arm of Indian  Coast Guard has spread its wings over Arabian Sea & Bay of Bengal with an  inventory of 17 Chetak helicopters, 24 Dornier aircraft, 03 ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter). This would be further strengthened with the induction of two Medium Range Surveillance Aircraft (MRSA) in near future The present standing of various ICG Air Stations/Squadrons are as follows :-

ICGAS DAMAN

     Indian Coast Guard Air Station, Daman is the premier Air Station of the Coast Guard and with all the  airfield facilities, Air Traffic Control  and other allied Air Traffic Services.  The Air Station is equipped with state of art  Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR), Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI),  Doppler Very High Frequency Omni directional Radio Range (DVOR) – Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)  &   Non Directional Beacon (NDB), as Navigational Aids. This Air Station provides ATC and parking facilities  to Defence as well as civil aircraft . The details of the airfield are as follows:-

• Daman Telefax No. : 0260-2261004

• VADN COAST GUARD ( 202559N 725035E ) Elevation 36' (11 mtrs)

• Operation timings 0200-0800 Daily (Except Sat, Sun, Wed and holidays) Night flying on requirement

• RWY 03/21 5910 ft (1801 Mtrs) Tarmac LCN 10/28 3284 ft (1001 mtrs) tarmac LCN 10

• 03 (202522N 725019E) 5910 5910 5910 5252

• 21 (202615N 725046E) 5910 5910 5910 5910

• 10 (202605N 725012E)

• 28 (202603N 725046E)

• Communication Frequency TWR - 118.7, 120.7

• Nav A Bn W/G 30 FPM

• NDB – DM 315 (202709N 7251110E) 125W 030° / 0-5 NM Rwy 21

• DVOR/DME-DMN 113.3 (202632N 7251116E) 100W 230° / 01 NM Rwy 21

• S/Lane 210 (NDB) R/W 21

• T/Alt 4000'

• PAPI R/W 03/21

 Services Available

•  Fuel ATF, Aircraft starting unit, Rwy lighting-Paraffin Flare,Main rwy.

•  Airport Surveillance Radar

 Essential requirements

• Positive clearance to be obtained from Daman ATC prior to departure from other airfield.

• Helicopters to operate as directed by ATC C/H 700, Helipad not marked.

• In case of aircraft emergencies any aircraft can utilise the service at Daman

 airfield without prior approval.

 Procedure to use Daman airfield

      The operations of civil Airlines/operators from Daman airfield are directly controlled by Indian Coast Guard Headquarters, National Stadium Complex, New Delhi – 110 001. The Flight clearance is required to be obtained in advance. The request is to be addressed to Director (Aviation), Indian Coast Guard Headquarters by letter/Fax on either of these numbers with a copy to Commander Coast Guard region (West) and ICGAS Daman. 

      Request is to be submitted at least two working days prior to scheduled operation except in following case were an advance notice of three weeks is mandatory:-

          (a)      Foreign non scheduled chartered flight/foreign private aircraft.

(b)      For overnight stay at ICGAS Daman

(c)      Flights operated by foreign crew

      The request should have the following information's:-

           A       Operator name / company

           B       A/C type and registration number

           C       Call sign of aircraft/flight

           D      Crew

           E       Flight details

           F       Passengers name, nationality, passport number (if foreign national) and validity

           G      Purpose of visit

       The recovery charges would be in accordance with rates promulgated by Airport Authority of India  revised from time to time.

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

                 (a)    700 SQN(ICG)  (Dornier)

                 (b)    841 SQN(ICG)  (Chetak)

         ICGAS Daman also caters for maritime

reconnaissance and SAR coverage along the North West coast.  Dornier and Chetak aircraft are detached from Daman for various operational commitment along the North West 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 also undertaken at the air station. Besides established accommodation for the men, the station also support the Coast Guard Public school at Daman which is considered as one of the premiere educational institution of the Union

Territory.

 842 SQUADRON (ICG), MUMBAI

      842 Squadron (CG) is the fourth helicopter squadron of the Indian Coast Guard.  It was commissioned on 01 Dec 95 in the premises of Naval Helicopter base  Kunjali - II at Mumbai.

ICGAE, GOA

        Indian Coast Guard Air Enclave (ICGAE), Goa is Co located with Naval Air Station Hansa and accommodates 800 Squadron(ICG) which was the first air squadron of the Coast Guard and was commissioned on 22 May 1982 with two Chetak Helicopters.

ICGEFU, GOA

        Indian Coast Guard Extensive Flying Unit (ICGEFU) is presently operating from the premises of ICGAE (Goa). The unit is equipped with 03 Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) a twin engine helicopter indigenously built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore. ALH is equipped with most modern avionics equipment and is capable of undertaking coastal surveillance and SAR missions in a professional manner.

747 SQUADRON(ICG),KOCHI

        Coast Guard Air Squadron 747 was activated on 22 Apr 2002 within the premises of Naval Base Kochi. The Squadron is operating  with two Dornier aircraft.

 ICGAS CHENNAI

       Indian Coast Guard Air Station Chennai was Commissioned on 26 Apr 1991 to provide administrative and logistic support to the Dornier Squadron i.e. 744 SQN(CG) and Helicopter Squadron  848 SQN (CG) on 03 Aug 1993. Coast Guard Air Station Chennai initially operated from the old Airport premises and shifted to the present location on 12 Aug 1992. It is spread over 26.26 acres of land adjoining the officers Training Academy at St Thomas Mount.

700 SQUADRON(ICG),KOLKATTA

         700 SQN(ICG) is the first fixed wing squadron of the Coast Guard, commissioned at Kolkatta on 30 Jul 1983 with 2 Fokker Friendship (F-27) aircraft taken on dry lease from Indian Airlines. In the civil passenger configuration, the F-27 was a  45 seater aircraft,  modified for CG role as per service requirements. In 1994 the Fokkers were replaced with 02 Dornier aircraft which are presently being used to provide maritime surveillance & SAR coverage for West Bengal and Orissa coast.

 CGLC BANGALORE

      Presently all Coast Guard aircraft / helicopters are manufactured/ overhauled/ periodical inspection being carried out by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL)

        HAL has all major facilities for Chetak, ALH helicopter and Aero engines. In order to monitor all activities related with CG aircraft maintenace/ Inspection and to steer different on going projects, a Coast Guard liaison cell was established at M/s HAL Bangalore on 20 Jul 1998.

 ICGAE, PORT BLAIR

         Indian Coast Guard Air Enclave (ICGAE ) Port Blair is located at the Veer Savarkar airport at Port Blair.  It consists of :-

a)    745 SQN(ICG) (Dornier)

b)    Port Blair Chetak flight

        Both these units are presently operating from the civil hangar of the A&N Flying Institute. This units gives SAR coverage and coastal surveillance for the entire Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands and to the International sea route.

INTEGRAL CHETAK FLIGHTS

        Two integral Chetak flight have been activated  on board ICGS Vajra and ICGS Veera based at Vizag and Kochi respectively from mid Sep 2003. The flight is under the functional / administrative control of commanding officer of the ship.

ICGAIS(MB)/ICGAIS(CH)

        Indian Coast Guard Aeronautical Inspection Service (ICGAIS), Mumbai and Chennai: In order to meet the operational requirement of aviation, two dedicated aeronautical quality control inspection service are activated.  One at Mumbai for Western region and the other at Chennai for meeting all operational commitment of Eastern and Andaman & Nicobar region.

ICGASD, GOA

        To streamline the logistics need of CG aircraft, Indian Coast Guard Air Store Depot (ICGASD), Goa was activated in July 2002. The depot is  catering  for the  air stores requirement of Indian Coast Guard Aviation.