Tribune News Service,Chandigarh, January 23

‘Cotam Unité’ is the official call sign of French President Francois Hollande’s personal aircraft that the Chandigarh Air Force Station would be playing host to during his brief visit to the city tomorrow.Special arrangements have been made by the local Air Force authorities for handling the Airbus as this type of aircraft is neither in the IAF’s inventory nor used by scheduled commercial airlines operating out of Chandigarh.Portable passenger step ladder and other ground-handling equipment compatible with the Airbus 330 have been positioned here. “The station has the required capacity to handle the Airbus-330,” a senior officer said.The presidential Airbus is operated by the Escadron de transport, d’entrainement et de calibration (Transportation, training and calibration squadron), which is under the direct command of the French Minister of Defence.The aircraft will be parked in the dispersal area in front of the Air Traffic Control, which is generally used for VVIP flights.

About Cotam Unité

• Cotam Unité is the official call sign of French President Francois Hollande’spersonal aircraft
• A specially retrofitted Airbus 330-200, the aircraft is the French version of Air India One, the aircraft used by the Indian President or PM
• Cotam is the acronym for the French Air Force’s Military Air Transport Command

Fog could pose concern

• IAF sources said weather was a concern as fog could reduce visibility. “Chandigarh does not have a category-III instrument landing system for zero visibility operations,” an officer said.

Search for ‘intruders’ near Army camp in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service,Ludhiana, January 23

The Army and the police began a search operation in Dholewal today after residents of Bhagwan Nagar reported the movement of unidentified persons near the Army camp.Sources said a resident of Achaar Wali Gali in Bhagwan Nagar complained of his window grill having been dismantled. He told the police that those who broke the grill were in Army uniform.As the street is near the Army camp, the police and the Army swung into action. The police also procured the CCTV footage from various places in the area. The police said since the footage was not clear, they couldn’t identify the culprits.Paramraj Umranagal, Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, said, “On a preliminary investigation, it seems to be a theft bid. But as the street is near the Army camp, we do not want to take any chances and thus, we started a search operation.”Umranangal said two persons in blue jackets were first seen moving in the area around 10 pm and then around 1.30 am.