SLAF appeals:

Kites to be flown below 200ft

By Camelia Nathaniel

The Air Force seeks public assistance to take safety measures in flying kites around areas in close proximity to airports and selected landing helipads. According to the Air Force, kites flown in the vicinity of the Ratmalana and Katunayake airports poses a threat to aircraft, especially the light aircraft.

Speaking to the Sunday Observer Air Force Spokesman Group Captain Chandima Alwis said, flying kites in the vicinity of airports or selected landing helipads is potentially dangerous to aircraft or helicopter particularly during taking-off and landing.

“Not only is there a risk that the body of the kite could damage the aircraft or be ingested by a jet engine with possibly catastrophic results, but the control lines, sometimes made of high tensile steel wire on performance aerobatic models, can pose a significant hazard to propeller driven aircraft. It may crash on civilian dwelling nearby and may cause devastation killing not only the aircrew but many innocent people living nearby, if overlooked,” he said.

These dangers have been recognised by the international aviation community and in many countries legislation exists to reduce the risk by limiting the height that kites that may be flown. In some states no kites are allowed to be flown within 10 nautical miles of an International Airport above a height of 1,00ft measured from surface level. Beyond 10 nautical miles from an airport boundary or when an airport is closed, kites may be flown at a height which must not exceed 200ft measured from surface level.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka or Sri Lanka Air Force has not imposed strict regulations and control on this aspect to date, but a series of awareness programs are conducted during these days to minimise the risk.

Therefore, it is vital that the potential hazards to aviation due to flying kites around an aerodrome approach path, training flight circuits and around selected helipads be understood, according to the Sri Lanka Air Force and Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka.

Therefore the Sri Lanka Air Force requests the public to educate their children to avoid flying kites over approach paths of all international and SLAF operated air fields, its training circuits and around the helipads designated by the SLAF when flight operations are taking place. Group Captain Alwis appealed to the public to lower their kites immediately to safe heights to facilitate safe take off, training or landing of aircraft or a helicopter in its flight path.