Sibu Airport gets new navigation and landing aid systems

Sibu Airport is often affected by low visibility during early morning flights.

New navigation and landing aid systems are being installed at Sibu Airport in Sarawak to ensure safer aircraft landings, especially during periods of low visibility.

Sarawak Deputy Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Michael Tiang said the airport was replacing its Doppler Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range radio beacon (DVOR), distance measuring equipment (DME) and instrument landing system (ILS).

“I was told that the new DVOR was completed in November 2022 and the new ILS is expected to be completed in June this year.

“These navigational and landing aids guide aircraft to land safely at the airport.

“I learnt that there were frequent landing problems because of low visibility for the first flight out to Sibu from Kuching,” he said in a statement.

Tiang said he had taken a 6.25am Kuching-Sibu flight on March 7 to understand the situation better.

With him was Sibu Municipal Council chairman Clarence Ting.

“The plane arrived in Sibu around 7am and could not land because of thick clouds, which affected visibility.

“The captain then announced that they had to return to Kuching and the plane landed at Kuching International Airport at 7.20am,” he recalled.

He said the plane finally took off again at 8.40am and landed safely at Sibu Airport around 9.15am.

“I also heard people asking why this happened so frequently at Sibu Airport.

“I have experienced it many times while travelling as well.

“In fact, last month, we could not land once because of low visibility and the plane circled for a long time before we could finally land safely,” he added.

Tiang urged people to be patient as new systems were being installed.