Lufthansa Cargo Stuck For Aircraft Clearance

The cargo company has already been issued a no-objection certificate for its launch.

DGCA officials will be required to go wherever the aircraft may be stationed and inspect them on the spot. They will submit their report to the DGCA, who will submit the findings to the aircraft acquisition authority. Only then can the operator expect to get the import permit.

This, coupled with some other formalities yet to be completed, is holding the launch of the new venture.

Lufthansa Cargo has already revised its launch schedule and has now timed it for October-end or early November.

A spot inspection of aircraft is necessary because, under the rules, no permit is to be issued for importing an aircraft if it is more than 15 years old.

 

The rule may be relaxed if the aircraft is to be used for cargo operations, provided it is found safe and airworthy under Indian conditions.

Officials say Lufthansa Cargo wants to import five Boeing 727-200s, four of which are more than 15 years old while the fifth is about to turn 15.

However, no step has been taken so far by the director general of civil aviation for spot inspections because, according to the officials, the company has informed them about the whereabouts of only two aircraft. Unless the location of all five is known, the inspecting team cannot leave as it has to complete the job in one trip.

The two aircraft, according to the information given to the director general of civil aviation by the company, are undergoing complete overhauling at Tuscon, Arizona, in the US.

The officials are insisting on a physical inspection to establish the air safety aspects and airworthiness under Indian conditions also because a Boeing 727 aircraft is being imported for the first time.

It is held on behalf of Lufthansa that two other aircraft are already operating from Sharjah under US registration and one more will join them shortly, meaning thereby that this very fact should show that the aircraft were safe and airworthy.

Officials say they are not aware of it because the company has not yet informed them about the location of the remaining three aircraft that the company wants to import.

Officials say the company has not met certain other statutory conditions.

One is that it must submit a programme for training of personnel, especially pilots and engineers, accompanied with full information on the syllabus and the name of the training.

This has to be approved by the director general of civil aviation, which must be satisfied that the company has the necessary infrastructure to commence operations.

Lufthansa Cargo managing director and chief executive officer Robert W Strodel told Business Standard that the training programme on maintenance had been submitted last week and the one concerning pilot training is to be submitted this week.

Strodel said the company wants to import only four aircraft, of which two were at Sharjah and two were under conversion. The company can begin operations with two aircraft only.

The training programme will commence once it is approved by the director general of civil aviation. It may spread over six-eight weeks.

Strodel seemed optimistic that things will move faster and the revised schedule of the launch could be adhered to.