Page 5 - Dgca

Best of BS Opinion: A sobering set of data reveals India's infirmities

From low workers' wages to suspect GDP to scary rankings for pilot training schools to self-serving protectionism, today's pieces paint a sobering picture of what ails India economy and policy

DGCA proposes easing aircraft leasing conditions in boost for IndiGo

The new draft proposal replaces the word "only" with "normally", making processing of such requests potentially easier

Mid-air scare: Passenger attempts to enter cockpit on AI Express flight

The incident occurred on the flight IX-1086, which departed Bengaluru airport's Terminal 2 at 8 am on Monday and landed in Varanasi at 10.27 am

'Very unfortunate': SC on pilot's error leaks in Air India crash probe

On June 12, Air India flight AI171, using a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crashed into a hostel soon after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing 265 people

DGCA approves resumption of helicopter operations for Char Dham Yatra

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has approved the resumption of helicopter operations for the 2025 Char Dham Yatra starting from September 15-16, following the monsoon break, according to an official release. Union Minister for Civil Aviation Rammohan Naidu also held multiple review meetings, alongside Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in Dehradun and Delhi to ensure close coordination between the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India, the state government and Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), it added. As per the directives of the minister, DGCA also carried out a comprehensive inspection/audit of all helipads, helicopters, operators' preparedness and support facilities from September 13-16, it said, adding that after the approval for recommencement of helicopter operations has been granted to UCADA and helicopter operators. The two components of Chardham Yatra by helicopters are Charter Services from Dehradun

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

DGCA comes out with draft guidelines for fatigue risk managment system

Aviation safety watchdog DGCA has come out with draft guidelines for a fatigue risk management system for airlines, with the proposed framework set to complement the existing flight duty time limitation norms. Amid concerns in various quarters about fatigue among airline crew, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already put in place revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms for pilots, which are being implemented in a phased manner. In the draft advisory on 'Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) Implementation for Flight Crew Members in Scheduled Air Transport Operations', the regulator said the circular provides detailed guidance on FRMS approval processes, implementation requirements, and oversight mechanisms to enhance flight safety through scientific, data-driven fatigue management approaches that complement existing prescriptive FDTL regulations. FRMS should have maximum flight time, flight duty period, and duty period limits based on scientific ...

DGCA grants safety clearance to AISATS, 1st ground handling firm to get nod

Aviation watchdog DGCA on Monday granted safety clearance to Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt Ltd (AISATS), making it the first ground handling company in the country to receive the approval. As part of efforts to strengthen Safety Management Systems (SMS), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) introduced the framework to provide safety approval to ground handling firms in July. With the granting of approval to AISATS, the regulator said, "India has become the second country after Malaysia in APAC region to implement such a comprehensive framework in alignment with ICAO guidance." APAC refers to Asia Pacific and ICAO is the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In a release, the DGCA said it has granted safety clearance to AISATS for the first time, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening SMS and enhancing regulatory oversight in ground handling operations across India. The clearance has been issued under the provisions of Civil Aviation Requirements

PRYMA Aerospace gets DGCA nod for Arjuna drone to aid agriculture

City-based drone manufacturer PRYMA Aerospace has received the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) certification for its Arjuna drone, which will enable the company to deploy the machine for agriculture-related activities. The development comes close on the heels of the aviation safety regulator recently approving the group's Drone School of Excellence as a Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) and making it India's first end-to-end pathway for drone manufacturing, pilot training, and large-scale deployment through Salam Kisan's nationwide platform, PRYM Group's founder and CEO, Dhanashree Mandhani said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presented the DGCA Certificate to Mandhani, the company stated. Earlier this year, PRYM Group signed a Rs 300 crore MoU with the state government at the World Economic Forum in Davos to accelerate drone adoption and skill development. This certification is more than a regulatory milestone; it is proof that India can .

DGCA clears IndiGo, SpiceJet to lease aircraft from Turkish carriers

India has approved aircraft leasing deals between domestic airlines and Turkish carriers, including IndiGo and SpiceJet, after a policy shift following tensions

DGCA approves IndiGo's 6-month extension of agreement with Turkish Airlines

The airline added that the approval will help mitigate potential losses to the Indian aviation sector while ensuring uninterrupted international connectivity

IndiGo gets six-month DGCA approval to keep Turkish B777 aircraft

The approval comes despite the regulator's May 30 directive that IndiGo must return the aircraft by August 31

Domestic air traffic drops 2.94% to 12.6 mn passengers in July: DGCA

Domestic air passenger traffic declined 2.94 per cent year-on-year to 1.26 crore in July, according to official data released on Wednesday. The fall in air passenger traffic also came against the backdrop of the fatal Air India Ahmedabad-London Gatwick plane crash on June 12 in which 260 people were killed. Indian carriers had flown 1.29 crore passengers in July 2024 on domestic routes, as per the data posted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on its website. On a sequential basis, Air India Group lost 1 per cent market share during the month under review at 33.08 lakh passengers against 33.08 lakh carried by the airline in June. Air India had in the last week of June announced a 5 per cent reduction in the domestic capacity to carry out comprehensive checks on its fleet. On the contrary, market leader IndiGo, increased its market share to 65.2 per cent from 64.5 per cent in overall traffic, though on a month-on-month basis the Gurugram-based carrier flew fewer ..

DGCA staffing crisis a threat to aviation safety system: Parl panel

A Parliamentary panel on Wednesday suggested a time-bound plan to grant administrative as well as financial autonomy to DGCA and flagged that the staffing crisis at the regulator is an "existential threat to the integrity of India's aviation safety system". Besides, the committee said the current imbalance, where aircraft induction is outpacing airport growth, is putting unsustainable pressure on existing facilities, degrading service quality, and dangerously straining safety margins, as it pitched for developing a comprehensive National Capacity Alignment Plan to synchronise airport infrastructure development with airline fleet induction schedules. The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture -- headed by Rajya Sabha member and JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha -- submitted its report on the 'Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector' on Wednesday. One of the recommendations is to establish a time-bound mechanism for the closure

SC seeks response from Centre, DGCA over series of helicopter crashes

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Centre among others on a plea over a series of helicopter crashes, particularly in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notices to the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Uttarakhand government, among others, on the plea. "The concern is over a series of helicopter crashes that have taken place, particularly towards Kedarnath," the petitioners' counsel said. The bench posted the matter after four weeks. On June 15, a helicopter carrying pilgrims from the Kedarnath shrine crashed in the forests of Gaurikund amid poor visibility, killing all seven people on board, the fifth helicopter accident on the Chardham Yatra route since the pilgrimage started on April 30. The seven casualties included a two-year-old child and the pilot, who were on board the helicopter, operated by a private firm. The civil aviation ministry said it has suspended the operations

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

DGCA issues show cause notice to IndiGo over simulator training lapses

Aviation regulator DGCA has issued a show cause notice to IndiGo for alleged lapses in simulator training conducted for nearly 1,700 pilots, according to sources. The sources on Tuesday said the show cause notice was issued after scrutiny of records and replies received from the airline last month. There was no immediate comment from IndiGo. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) found that Category C or critical airfield training for around 1,700 pilots, including pilots in command and first officers, was conducted with non-qualified simulators, the sources said. The sources also said the regulator found that the simulators on which the nearly 1,700 pilots did their training were not qualified for operations at certain airports like Calicut, Leh, and Kathmandu. Certain airports like Calicut, which has a table top runway, have additional requirements for flight operations.

Severe weather, delayed re-routing likely caused May IndiGo incident: DGCA

Severe weather and non-timely action in re-routing the aircraft clear of weather were the probable causes that led to IndiGo's Delhi-Srinagar flight incident where the aircraft's nose radome was damaged on May 21, according to the probe findings by aviation regulator DGCA. On May 21, IndiGo's A321 neo aircraft VT-IMD while operating flight 6E-2142 from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe weather, including hail, during cruise. After landing in Srinagar, the aircraft radome was found damaged, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The incident was investigated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). "The investigation has revealed that severe weather existing en-route and non-timely action in re-routing the aircraft clear of weather was the probable cause of the occurrence," the minister said in a written reply. On May 23, two days after the incident, DGCA had said IndiGo flight crew initially attempted to return but as the

DGCA sets up expert panel to plan multi-crew pilot licence in India

Unlike current CPL training, MPL focuses on airline-specific, simulator-led, multi-crew operations from the outset through integrated airline partnerships

DGCA suspends Akasa Air examiner for six months over skill test lapses

DGCA suspends Akasa Air's Captain Kunal Khajuria for six months for procedural violations during a pilot skill test; retest ordered and examiner training mandated