Page 7 - Aviation News

DGCA may allow import of aircraft up to 20 years old for commercial use

Aviation watchdog DGCA is set to amend norms to allow airlines to import aircraft that are up to 20 years old at a time when global supply chain woes have been impacting plane deliveries. Currently, pressurised aircraft that are up to 18 years old are permitted to be imported into the country, subject to certain conditions. The DGCA has proposed amendments to the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) pertaining to 'Age of Aircraft to be imported for Scheduled/ Non-Scheduled including Charter, General Aviation and other Operations'. A senior official told PTI that the draft CAR proposes changes for pressurised aircraft permitted to be imported subject to certain conditions up to 20 years instead of 18 previously, un-pressurised aircraft up to 25 years instead of 20 previously. According to the draft CAR, pressurised aircraft intended to be imported and used in passenger services (scheduled/ non-scheduled) and general aviation operation, shall not have completed 20 years of age or 65 per

IATA proposes raising age limit for commercial pilots to 67 years globally

Global airlines' grouping IATA has proposed increasing the upper age limit to 67 years for pilots who are operating multi-pilot commercial flights. Amid a shortage of available pilots compared to the rising demand spurred by aviation sector growth, the proposal has been made by IATA to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 350 airlines worldwide, including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet. In a working paper titled 'Proposal to Raise the Multi-Pilot Commercial Air Transport Pilot Age Limit to 67 years', IATA said the growth of the aviation industry worldwide is causing the demand for pilots to outstrip supply. "Raising CAT (Commercial Air Transport) pilot age limits to allow more pilots to continue to work is aligned with 15 of the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the initiative of the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Programme to ensure a suffici

DGCA issues warning letter to Air India, seeks stricter compliance

Campbell, who is the CEO and MD, is also the Accountable Manager of the Tata Group-owned airline

SpiceJet to lease five Boeing 737 planes, joining fleet in October

SpiceJet has finalised an agreement to lease five Boeing 737 planes, and the aircraft are scheduled to join its fleet in October. The aircraft are being inducted on a damp-lease basis, where operational crew will be shared between the operator and the airline, according to a release on Friday. The airline said it has finalised a lease agreement to induct five Boeing 737 aircraft, and they are scheduled to join the fleet in October and will cater to the peak winter season as well as the early summer season of 2026. "SpiceJet is also in advanced discussions with other lessors to further enhance its fleet and strengthen both domestic and international operations," it added. The budget carrier, which had been facing multiple headwinds, operates Boeing 737s and Q-400s. It did not mention the current number of operational planes in its fleet. As per data available on fleet tracking website Planespotters.net, the airline has 20 planes in operation and 33 on the ground for various reasons

Air India seeks bank loan of about $200 mn for fleet of Boeing 777 planes

AI Fleet Services IFSC Ltd., a GIFT City-registered subsidiary of Air India, is the borrower of the loan, the people said, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters

Over 4,200 posts vacant in DGCA, BCAS, AAI; functioning unaffected: Govt

As many as 4,291 positions are lying vacant at aviation regulators DGCA and BCAS as well as at state-owned Airports Authority of India but the shortfall has not impacted the functioning of these organisations, the government said on Monday. Many posts were also created in recent times at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and AAI. Nearly 50 per cent or 823 sanctioned positions at DGCA are lying vacant while 441 posts, including 426 technical positions, were created between 2022 and 2024, raising the total technical posts at the regulator to 1,063, as per the official data. In 2024, 84 operational posts were created during restructuring of BCAS, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha. At AAI, 840 posts of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) were created recently. Details about the sanctioned posts at BCAS and AAI could not be immediately ascertained. "Keeping in view the current and future expans

Aircraft glitch forces Delhi-Goa IndiGo flight to declare 'PAN PAN' mid-air

The Airbus A320neo aircraft, with 191 people on board, departed from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport en route to Goa but was forced to make an emergency landing in Mumbai

Small plane crashes at London Southend Airport, no casualties reported

A small plane crashed at London Southend Airport, police said Sunday. In a statement, Essex Police said it was alerted just before 4 pm local time to the serious incident" at the relatively small airport, which is around 45 miles (72 kilometres) east of the capital. Images posted on social media show a plume of fire and black smoke emanating from the crash site. The plane involved is said to be 12 metres (39 feet) long. No details on where the plane was heading or how many people were on board were immediately disclosed. We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours," Essex Police said. The local member of parliament, David Burton-Sampson, urged people to stay away and let the emergency services do their work. My thoughts are with everyone involved," he said.

Amsterdam crucial point for connecting with rest of Europe, America: IndiGo

Expanding its international wings, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has said Amsterdam will be an important point to connect with the rest of Europe and North America and highlighted it is a "fit for purpose" airline. IndiGo, India's largest airline with a domestic market share of 64 per cent, is fast expanding its overseas reach with new routes and partnerships. Marking the foray into Europe, IndiGo this week, commenced direct services from Mumbai to Manchester and Amsterdam, with Elbers describing the launches as a "momentous occasion". "I think the story now is by touching in Europe. The change is much more profound than just two new destinations. It's a change of product. It's a change in some of the partnerships. It's a change of profile," Elbers told PTI. With a fleet of more than 400 planes, IndiGo flies to over 90 domestic and 40 overseas destinations, with the latest additions being the start of services to Manchester and Amsterdam on July 1 and 2, respectively. Elbers said Amste

Parliament panels to review civil aviation safety, AI171 crash next week

Standing Committee and PAC to hear Civil Aviation Ministry, regulators and airlines next week on safety issues, fees regulation and the Air India AI171 crash in June

DGCA detects recurring defects in aviation checks at major airports

Aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday said surveillance conducted at major airports revealed several defects in the aviation ecosystem, including multiple cases wherein the defects reappeared on aircraft and centre line marking faded on runway. The surveillance, which comes against the backdrop of the fatal Air India plane crash at Ahmedabad on June 12, covered critical areas such as flight operations, airworthiness, ramp safety, air traffic control, communication, navigation systems, and pre-flight medical evaluations. Without disclosing names of airlines or any other entities in the ecosystem, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in a statement said the findings have been communicated to those concerned for taking corrective actions within seven days. Two teams led by DGCA Joint Director General carried out comprehensive surveillance during night and early morning hours at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai. During the surveillance, domestic flight of a scheduled

Air India suspends three int'l routes, cuts frequency on several others

Air India temporarily halts services to Nairobi, London, and other global cities citing enhanced safety inspections and longer flight durations due to Middle East airspace closures

Turbulence in the skies: Air India diverts two flights due to tech glitches

These two incidents have happened barely four days after its flight AI 171 crashed in Ahmedabad, killing 270 people, including former Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani

Aviation regulator finds safety lapses in Turkish Airlines ops in India

DGCA detects procedural violations in Turkish Airlines' cargo and passenger services at four Indian airports; Civil Aviation Ministry orders full compliance with safety norms

IATA urges aircraft makers to support airlines facing GPS spoofing risks

As GPS spoofing incidents rise globally, IATA urges aircraft makers to offer guidance and calls for global coordination to protect navigation systems and flight safety

Debate around bilateral rights 'silly': Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves

Staggered increase in bilateral rights needed now between India and Abu Dhabi, he added

IndiGo places firm order for another 30 wide-body A350 planes with Airbus

IndiGo on Sunday announced placing a firm order for another 30 wide-body A350 planes with Airbus, taking the total number of such aircraft to 60. In April last year, the airline placed a firm order for 30 A350 aircraft and there was an option to order 70 more such planes. At a briefing in the national capital, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said that out of the option for 70 planes, it is now placing a firm order of 30 aircraft. The airline has over 900 planes on order that are to be delivered in the coming years. The country's largest airline is expanding its international network and is set to operate flights to 10 new overseas cities with leased Boeing 787 planes in the current fiscal year ending March 2026.

Three senior executives resign from Akasa Air amid leadership churn

Akasa Air's growth ambitions have been challenged in the last one year by delays in the delivery of its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft