Inspection for foreign planes

DGCA's decision comes in the wake of US FAA decision to downgrade India's safety ranking from category I to II

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will do a safety inspection of foreign aircraft flying into the country. This comes in the wake of the US’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s decision to downgrade India’s safety ranking to category-II from -I. Following FAA’s downgrade, countries such as Singapore have stepped up inspection of Indian planes.

However the DGCA order is not restricted to aircraft from any country. Aircraft of foreign airlines and charters will be subject to checks under the surveillance of operations by foreign operator programme. DGCA has decided to inspect even Indian airlines and charters flying abroad to ensure they are not pulled up by foreign air safety inspectors for violations. Two teams will be formed for inspections at the Mumbai and Delhi airports.

Sources said DGCA’s rules on inspections of foreign aircraft were unclear; for example, it does not categorise safety violations that could lead to grounding of an aircraft. “The rule is not specific as to which violation will attract a grounding and will depend upon interpretation of each officer,” a source said.

DGCA issued a circular in 2009 detailing procedures for inspections of foreign planes.