Page 8 - Dgca

DGCA issues 4 show cause notices to Air India over safety, training lapses

The aviation regulator acted after Air India reported multiple safety violations, including breaches in cabin crew rest rules, flight duty hours, and training procedures

No issues found in fuel switches in its Boeing 737 MAX planes: Akasa Air

Akasa Air has completed the checks on the fuel switches of its Boeing 737 MAX planes and there were no adverse findings, a senior airline executive said on Tuesday. The airline has a fleet of 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. A total of 196 such aircraft are to be delivered to the carrier in the coming years. Last week, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed airlines to inspect the fuel switch locking system in their Boeing 787 and 737 planes by July 21. The direction came after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said in its preliminary report that fuel switches were cut off before the Air India plane crash last month. Akasa Air's Chief Financial Officer Ankur Goel said the airline complies with whatever requirements that continue to come either from Boeing as a manufacturer or from the DGCA as a safety regulator. "The inspection has been done. We have reported our findings to the DGCA. Very happy to say that no adverse findings found on the switches at

76% flyers say airlines prioritise publicity over passenger safety: Survey

A majority of airline passengers believe carriers prioritise publicity over safety, while 64% report rough flights in 3 years, raising serious concerns over aviation safety and regulatory oversight

Air India completes checks on Boeing 787, 737 aircraft, says no issue found

Following the June 12 crash of a Boeing Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, Air India completed checks on fuel control switch locking systems and found no faults in its fleet

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

Air India issued 9 show cause notices in 6 months over safety lapses: Govt

The government issued nine show-cause notices to Air India for safety violations in the last six months, with enforcement action taken in one case, the civil aviation minister informed Rajya Sabha

DGCA removes window shade advisory, photography ban remains at IAF airports

The DGCA emphasised on Saturday that the prohibition on aerial and ground photography continues to apply to all aircraft operations at IAF Joint User Airports (JUAs)

UK aviation regulator backs Boeing, says no safety concerns found

UK Civil Aviation Authority echoes FAA, says Boeing aircraft pose no safety risk as India and South Korea mandate inspections after AI171 crash findings

DGCA directs all airlines to inspect Boeing fuel switches by July 21

DGCA mandates inspection of Boeing aircraft fuel control switches by 21 July after AI171 crash report flagged malfunction linked to Honeywell parts used on 787s

DGCA orders all airlines to check fuel switches on Boeing 737, 787 aircraft

A month after Air India crash, DGCA has asked all airlines to inspect Boeing 737 and 787 fuel switches for locking faults

DGCA to implement ranking system for flying training organisations

Aviation watchdog DGCA has introduced a ranking system for flying training organisations as part of efforts to improve the quality and safety of pilot training activities in the country. The move also comes against the backdrop of various incidents involving planes of Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) and apparent lapses. The ranking system will be implemented from October 1, 2025, and the rankings will be published biannually, preferably on October 1 and April 1 every year, according to a DGCA communication. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the initiative is part of its "continued commitment to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of pilot training in India, while fostering a performance-driven and transparent training ecosystem". FTOs will be ranked on the basis of various parameters and if the overall score of a FTO falls below 50 per cent, then the entity concerned will be served a notice for self-analysis towards improvement of their performance,

Aviation safety in focus as parliamentary panel questions airlines

A day-long meeting of a parliamentary committee on safety in the aviation sector is underway here on Wednesday, with members questioning official agencies and private airlines over safety standards being followed by them, an issue brought into sharp focus by the Ahmedabad plane crash last month. Sources said there was concern among some members over a large number of vacancies in the aviation regulator DGCA, while a few others spoke about the agency not implementing several of the earlier recommendations of the committee. Several official agencies, including the Airport Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), are expected to make presentations before the committee headed by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha. Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson is among the representatives of airlines who are attending the meeting apart from several other stakeholders. Many of these officials were part of the seating of another parliamentary committee meeting held on ...

Audit entire aircraft fleet of all carriers: House panel to DGCA

A parliamentary panel has asked the DGCA to carry out a comprehensive safety audit of all domestic airlines' fleets and address concerns over surge pricing and uniformity in airport user charges

Best of BS Opinion: India must go from pro-business to pro-market

Today's newsletter ties together multiple issues, but the central theme remains one of much-needed reform and regulatory action, be in in job creation or aviation or industry

DGCA audit finds worn tyres, faulty simulators, faded runway marks

The first sectorwide saftey audit by DGCA comes days after the deadly crash of Air India's AI171 flight on June 12, in which 229 passengers, 12 crew members and 34 people on the ground were killed

Domestic air traffic rises 1.89% to 14.05 million in May, says DGCA

DGCA's monthly data showed the number of domestic passengers flown by Indian airlines in May 2024 was 13.79 million

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

Aviation regulator DGCA starts audit at Air India's main base in Gurugram

Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday commenced the detailed audit at Air India's main base in Gurugram that will cover operations, flight scheduling, rostering and various other areas, according to a source. The Tata Group-owned airline has come under intense scrutiny after its London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane crashed soon after take-off in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 270 people, including 241 people onboard. An eight-member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started the annual audit of Air India's main base. Generally, a three-member team carries out the yearly audit, the source said. "DGCA has started the audit at Air India's main base at Gurugram. The annual exercise will cover all aspects, including operations, flight planning, scheduling, rostering and IOCC (Integrated Operations Control Centre)," the source said. Air India is headquartered in Gurugam, Haryana. The audit exercise also comes at a time when the regulator has taken action aga

DGCA launches comprehensive special audit plan to end siloed safety checks

DGCA's new special audit framework moves beyond siloed inspections to assess safety, compliance and operations across airlines, airports, MROs and other aviation entities

DGCA revises guidelines for flight operations in adverse weather conditions

Aviation watchdog DGCA has revised its operational guidelines for operators during adverse weather conditions, emphasising that safety should take precedence over "schedule adherence" and encouraged pilots to divert flights in unpredictable conditions. Issuing an updated operations circular to scheduled and non-scheduled operators, the regulator also said pilots should cross-check visual cues with instruments to ensure accurate approach and landing assessments to deal with visual illusions that may occur during night operations in rain or on wet runways. The circular also comes against the backdrop of recent helicopter accidents in Kedarnath region and an IndiGo flight enroute to Srinagar encountering severe turbulence last month. Citing the growing impact of climate change on operational unpredictability, DGCA has advised flight crew to maintain heightened vigilance, "with an emphasis on safety taking precedence over schedule adherence". "Captains are encouraged to initiate ...