The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken disciplinary action against Air India by suspending its Chief of Flight Safety for a period of one month. This decision comes in response to the DGCA’s discovery of lapses in the airline’s efforts to prevent accidents. The DGCA conducted a comprehensive surveillance of Air India on July 25 and 26, with a focus on assessing the effectiveness of internal audits, accident prevention measures, and the availability of technical personnel.
During this investigation, the DGCA identified several deficiencies in Air India’s accident prevention initiatives, particularly in terms of having the necessary technical manpower in place. Additionally, it was revealed that certain internal audits and spot checks, as claimed by the airline, did not align with the regulatory requirements set forth by aviation authorities. Subsequently, show cause notices have been issued to responsible individuals following a thorough review of the actions taken by the airline.
In light of these findings, the DGCA has issued directives to Air India, instructing the airline not to assign audits, surveillance activities, or spot checks related to DGCA compliance to auditors who have demonstrated a lack of diligence in their duties.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first instance of Air India facing scrutiny from the aviation regulator. In a recent development, the DGCA suspended simulator training activities for A320 pilots at the airline’s training facility in Hyderabad due to observed lapses during an inspection.
In response to these regulatory actions, a senior Air India official has affirmed that the airline is actively implementing corrective measures in line with the observations made by the DGCA. Notably, Air India operates Boeing simulator training facilities in both Hyderabad and Mumbai, providing training for pilots across its wide-body and narrow-body fleets.
Key Facts:
- The DGCA has suspended Air India’s Chief of Flight Safety for a one-month duration due to identified lapses in the airline’s accident prevention measures.
- The surveillance conducted by the DGCA uncovered deficiencies in Air India’s accident prevention work and the availability of technical personnel.
- As a result of the investigation, Air India has been directed not to assign any DGCA compliance-related audits, surveillance activities, or spot checks to auditors who have demonstrated a lack of diligence.
- Recent scrutiny by the DGCA also led to the suspension of simulator training activities for A320 pilots at Air India’s Hyderabad facility due to observed lapses.
- Air India has affirmed its commitment to addressing the DGCA’s concerns and implementing corrective actions as necessary.
