DGCA to inspect all scheduled airlines, charter flights

Regulator in action after grounding pilots for allowing passengers into the cockpit

Taking a grim view on the frequent violation of safety norms by scheduled as well as non-scheduled operators (NSOPs), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to carry out safety inspections on 44 major NSOPs who fly abroad and two aircraft each of all scheduled domestic airlines by June-end.

A senior DGCA official told Business Standard: “It is the responsibility of all operators to ensure compliance with the safety guidelines issued by the DGCA. However, over the past few days, we have had to ground four pilots in two leading airlines for allowing passengers into the cockpit. We have decided to step up surveillance.”

Over the past 10 days, DGCA has suspended the flying licence for a month of three pilots, who allowed their own or their colleagues’ children inside the cockpit.

INSPECTOR ON THE ROUND

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to carry out safety inspections of 44 major non-scheduled operators and of two aircraft each of all scheduled domestic airlines over the next three months
• In the past 10 days, DGCA has suspended for a month the flying licences of three pilots who allowed their own or  colleagues’ children inside the cockpit
• The commander of an Air India (AI)’s flight took his son inside the cockpit while the plane was flying to Mumbai from Goa
• The pilots of AI’s Delhi-Bagdogra flight took the daughter of their airline’s engineer inside the cockpit to show how the plane flies
• The commander of an IndiGo flight from Goa to Delhi allowed 12 passengers inside the cockpit while the aircraft was being prepared to take off

In the first case, the commander of Air India’s flight AI 660 took his son inside the cockpit, while the plane was flying from Goa to Mumbai. Separately, on March 26, the pilots of Air India’s Delhi-Bagdogra flight took the daughter of their airline’s engineer inside the cockpit to show how the plane flies. In a third instance on April 1, the commander of an IndiGo flight from Goa to Delhi (6E 338) allowed 12 passengers inside the cockpit, while the aircraft was being prepared to take off. The pilot has been taken off flying duties.

Taking note of the violations, the DGCA had issued a directive to all airlines (scheduled carriers and charter companies) last week that penal action would be taken against them, too, apart from the crew, for non-compliance in future.

In order to ensure safe operations during the election season, the DGCA had on March 24 also issued stringent safety guidelines and threatened to cancel air operators’ permit (AOP) of business jets and helicopters that failed to conform with prescribed norms. 

The guidelines were reissued after the aviation regulator found discrepancy in operations by some non-scheduled operators. On March 22, the DGCA had grounded a business jet owned by Reliance Commercial Dealers Ltd, as its safety equipment such as fire extinguisher and personal breathing device were beyond expiry dates and the commander was found without his flying licence (he was suspended). The plane was allowed to fly a day later after the safety requirements were met. The regulator also said an aircraft registered with Jindal Steel & Power had come under scrutiny on the same day. However, since it had not made any major violation, it was not grounded.

Four days after the guidelines were issued, a Hawker 800 XP of SRC Aviation, which was to fly from Delhi to Colombo, was not allowed to take off for several hours as the DGCA found several safety violations including absence of life jackets and the minimum equipment list. The aviation regulator also held up two flights - one of Larsen & Toubro and the other of Poonawalla Aviation company - citing violation of safety norms in Mumbai on the same day.