Air India Chief of Flight Safety Suspended by DGCA Over Lapses

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended Air India Chief of Flight Safety for a month after identifying deficiencies in the airline’s accident prevention efforts. 

The DGCA conducted surveillance of Air India on July 25 and 26, covering areas such as internal audit, accident prevention work, and the availability of necessary technical manpower.

Regulatory Compliance Lapses:

The DGCA’s evaluation, conducted in accordance with flight safety guidelines and civil aviation requirements, revealed shortcomings in the airline’s accident prevention activities and the availability of essential technical personnel. 

It also noted that some internal audits and spot checks conducted by the airline were not in line with regulatory requirements.

Following the review of Air India’s action taken report, the DGCA issued show-cause notices to the individuals responsible for the deficiencies identified during the evaluation.

Auditor Restrictions on Air India:

The aviation regulator has instructed the Tata Group-owned airline not to assign audits, surveillance, or spot checks related to DGCA compliance to the particular auditor whose inspections lacked diligence.

Air India has been under scrutiny from the aviation regulator for several months. 

Recently, the DGCA suspended simulator training activities for A320 pilots at the airline’s Hyderabad facility due to observed lapses during an inspection.

The officials have stated that they are actively addressing the observations and recommendations made by the regulator to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Air India Training Facilities:

Air India operates exclusive Boeing simulator training facilities in Hyderabad and Mumbai. These facilities provide simulator training to pilots for different aircraft types, including the wide-body fleet (Boeing 777 and B787) in Mumbai and the narrow-body fleet (A320 planes) in Hyderabad.

Get all the latest news on Indian daily post.