Safety Concerns Mount As IMD Withdraws Weather Services From IGRUA's Fursatganj Airfield

Last Updated:April 20, 2026, 08:35 IST

Established in 1985, IGRUA, is country's premier autonomous government flying training institute, located in Uttar Pradesh's Fursatganj in Amethi

Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) has withdrawn Aviation Meteorological Services (AMS) being provided by the Indian Meteorological Department at UP’s Fursatganj Airport, a practice in place for over last three decades. In a communication sent to director IGRUA and AMS Fursatganj, by the Central Aviation Meteorological Division, dated March 12, 2026, it was said, as per the request received from IGRUA, it has been decided to withdraw the Aviation Meteorological Services being provided by IMD at Fursatganj Airport.

The letter, seen by News18, mentions the meteorological services presently being rendered by IMD at Fursatganj Airport, including weather observations, aviation warnings, and other associated meteorological services, shall be discontinued.

“In this regard, RMC New Delhi is requested to take necessary action for withdrawal of the deployed staff from the station and discontinuation of operational meteorological services at the earliest," the documents says.

Established in 1985, IGRUA, is country’s premier autonomous government flying training institute, located in Uttar Pradesh’s Fursatganj in Amethi, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

An email sent by News18 to the director IGRUA and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on the need for withdrawal of AMS and the purpose it aims to serve, has remained unanswered.

However, a trainee aircraft pilot, News18 spoke with, said the removal of AMS brings critical safety risks. Not only the removal of IMD at IGRUA allows for “fudging" of visibility figures to meet training targets but without certified IMD data, the academy can fly in sub-standard conditions (below 5 km) that would legally ground aircraft under official reporting, the pilot said.

Further, wishing not to be named, the pilot said, eliminating the IMD removes the only independent No-Go authority, leaving safety decisions purely to operational pressure.

“The fatal crash of Maharashtra’s deputy CM in Baramati proves that guessing visibility in marginal weather leads to catastrophic CFIT accidents and therefore poses risk to VVIP flights. Very importantly, by removing the IMD unit, the academy has been stripped of the legal Black Box data required for accident investigations only degrading a premier national academy to a “self-reporting" substandard, high-risk flight school," the officer said.

Mark D Martin of Martin Consulting, an aviation consulting firm, said, weather information at an airport is extremely critical and part of daily aircraft operations, even with local flying training areas weather gathering and prediction technology today has moved far ahead away from having a full-fledged local metrological office.

While it makes no sense to have a full blown weather office at a small airfield where operations are limited to flying training, training is relevant to consider alternative improved technologies and systems search as advanced digital weather stations which can do a far better, efficient, reliable and accurate weather prediction, than human input based offices, he said.

“Today, aviation weather including runway visual range, cloud base, cloud ceiling can be very easily done from digital equipment and transmitted on to an Android or iPhone App, a Desk top computer terminal, or even a website. Such transitions should however be planned with adequate back-ups, training with a proper roll out, Martin said.

News india Safety Concerns Mount As IMD Withdraws Weather Services From IGRUA's Fursatganj Airfield

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