Air India submits quality manual, SOP to DGCA to activate simulator licence

DGCA has suspended the airline's both simulators; pilots' license renewal process has stopped

Air India on Thursday submitted all necessary paper work, including newly developed standard operating procedure (SOP) for preventive maintenance checks as well as a quality manual for simulators, to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). 

The suspension of its two simulator facilities has had no immediate impact on the airline's commercial flight operations but the carrier wants to activate its licences as soon as possible, people aware of the development told Business Standard on Thursday.

Earlier this week, the regulator had suspended the approved training organisation (ATO) licence of Air India, essentially suspending the licences of both its simulators: The Boeing simulator in Mumbai as well as the Airbus simulator in Hyderabad. This step was taken after the regulator found lapses during a spot check. The licence and certification renewal processes of the airline's pilots have come to a halt due to this suspension.

During the spot check, the regulator found that the quality manual of simulators had expired and there was no quality control officer for the simulators. Also, there was no SOP regarding preventive maintenance checks of simulators, the DGCA found.

"The airline has submitted its quality manual. The regulator will take at least a week to properly analyse it," a person stated. 

Another person stated that the airline has now formed the aforementioned SOP and is in process of appointing a quality control officer for simulators. "All paperwork has been submitted to the regulator," the second person added. 

A DGCA official said that the simulators' licence will be activated only when the regulator is ‘absolutely sure’ that the airline has taken all requisite measures.

Air India immediately did not respond to queries sent by Business Standard on this matter. While there is no immediate impact, the airline is worried about mid-term impact if the licences and certificates of its pilots start lapsing due to the DGCA's action, one of its executives mentioned.