Kalaburagi's airport dream takes wings

Flight trials began at the brand new airport here on Sunday, much to the amusement of the crowd which had gathered to witness the historic moment.

The people shouted in jubilation as four-seater training aircrafts Diamond-42 and Diamond-40 landed smoothly on the runway.

The aircraft belong to Asia Pacific Flight Training (APFT). Pilot Jahnavi landed Diamond-42, a multi-engine flight at 10.51 am. The pilot, co-pilot Sahin Saha and APFT chief operating officer Hemanth D P waved at the crowd on landing.

Single-engine aircraft Diamond-40 touched down at 11.18 am.

The crowd, in their thousands and including children, clapped on as the aircraft flew at a height of under 500 feet.

The schoolchildren, who had come in large numbers as it was a Sunday, and the elderly among the crowd cheered on as the flights swirled around the airport. The aircraft landed near the place where the crowd had gathered in their thousands, much to their joy.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge, district incharge Minister Priyank Kharge, besides other people’s representatives from the district and officials were among those present.