News Analysis India

Tag: DGCA

  • SpiceJet plane from Goa makes emergency landing at Hyderabad airport; DGCA orders probe

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: A SpiceJet plane coming from Goa made an emergency landing at Hyderabad airport on Wednesday night after smoke was observed in the cabin and aviation regulator DGCA is probing the incident, according to officials.

    The plane landed safely and passengers disembarked through the emergency exit.

    One passenger sustained minor scratches on the feet while disembarking from the aircraft, a DGCA official said.

    A Hyderabad airport official said there were 86 passengers onboard the Q400 aircraft VT-SQB and that due to the emergency landing, as many as nine flights were diverted on Wednesday night after the incident at around 11 pm.

    SpiceJet has been facing operational and financial headwinds in recent times, and it is already under enhanced surveillance of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

    The regulator had also directed the airline to operate only 50 per cent of its total flights till October 29.

    On Thursday, the DGCA official said the regulator is probing the incident.

    “SpiceJet Q400 aircraft operating from Goa to Hyderabad landed safely at its destination on October 12 after smoke was observed in the cabin during descent. Passengers were safely disembarked,” an airline spokesperson said.

    According to the DGCA official, the plane made an emergency landing due to smoke observed in the cockpit.

    On July 27, DGCA directed SpiceJet to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights, which were approved in the summer schedule for a period of eight weeks owing to a series of incidents involving its flights.

    Last month, the restrictions were extended till October 29.

    NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: A SpiceJet plane coming from Goa made an emergency landing at Hyderabad airport on Wednesday night after smoke was observed in the cabin and aviation regulator DGCA is probing the incident, according to officials.

    The plane landed safely and passengers disembarked through the emergency exit.

    One passenger sustained minor scratches on the feet while disembarking from the aircraft, a DGCA official said.

    A Hyderabad airport official said there were 86 passengers onboard the Q400 aircraft VT-SQB and that due to the emergency landing, as many as nine flights were diverted on Wednesday night after the incident at around 11 pm.

    SpiceJet has been facing operational and financial headwinds in recent times, and it is already under enhanced surveillance of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

    The regulator had also directed the airline to operate only 50 per cent of its total flights till October 29.

    On Thursday, the DGCA official said the regulator is probing the incident.

    “SpiceJet Q400 aircraft operating from Goa to Hyderabad landed safely at its destination on October 12 after smoke was observed in the cabin during descent. Passengers were safely disembarked,” an airline spokesperson said.

    According to the DGCA official, the plane made an emergency landing due to smoke observed in the cockpit.

    On July 27, DGCA directed SpiceJet to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights, which were approved in the summer schedule for a period of eight weeks owing to a series of incidents involving its flights.

    Last month, the restrictions were extended till October 29.

  • SpiceJet Delhi-Nashik flight returns midway due to ‘autopilot’ snag

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A SpiceJet flight that took off for Nashik in Maharashtra from the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on Thursday morning returned midway to the city due to an ‘autopilot’ snag, a DGCA official said.

    The Boeing 737 aircraft landed safely, he said.

    “SpiceJet B737 aircraft VT-SLP, operating flight SG-8363 (Delhi-Nashik) on Thursday was involved in an air turnback due to an autopilot snag,” the official said.

    Facing financial turbulence amid high fuel prices and rupee depreciation, SpiceJet aircraft have been involved in a series of incidents in the past as well, following which the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a show-cause notice to the airline.

    On July 27, the aviation safety regulator had also ordered the airline to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks.

    NEW DELHI: A SpiceJet flight that took off for Nashik in Maharashtra from the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on Thursday morning returned midway to the city due to an ‘autopilot’ snag, a DGCA official said.

    The Boeing 737 aircraft landed safely, he said.

    “SpiceJet B737 aircraft VT-SLP, operating flight SG-8363 (Delhi-Nashik) on Thursday was involved in an air turnback due to an autopilot snag,” the official said.

    Facing financial turbulence amid high fuel prices and rupee depreciation, SpiceJet aircraft have been involved in a series of incidents in the past as well, following which the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a show-cause notice to the airline.

    On July 27, the aviation safety regulator had also ordered the airline to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks.

  • ‘Indian aviation sector absolutely safe’: DGCA chief on latest flight glitches

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Aviation watchdog DGCA’s chief Arun Kumar on Sunday said technical snags faced by domestic carriers in recent weeks did not have the potential to cause havoc and that even foreign airlines that came to India reported 15 technical snags in the last 16 days.

    The country’s civil aviation space is “absolutely safe” and all the protocols laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) are followed, he said.

    Against the backdrop of a spate of technical snags suffered by Indian airlines in recent weeks and DGCA curtailing operations of SpiceJet, Kumar stressed that there is no need to panic as none of the events that have been reported/discussed had the potential to cause havoc.

    “All the snags experienced are routine and happen with all airlines and all types of fleet. In the last 16 days, even for the foreign operators who come to India, we have seen 15 technical snags, which have been attended and rectified,” Kumar told PTI in an interview.

    Specific details about snags that were faced by the overseas carriers were not disclosed.

    According to Kumar, the snags faced by the foreign operators were similar to that encountered by the Indian carriers.

    In recent times, more than a dozen instances of Indian carriers facing technical snags have become public, especially in the case of SpiceJet, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is keeping a close watch on the developments.

    “What most of them (recent incidents of technical snags) required was troubleshooting, replacement of some component say windshield due to outer layer crack, defective valve, high-pressure switch, landing gear uplock, hydraulic accumulator or an engine,” Kumar said.

    The regulator has started a two-month-long special audit of airlines to address possible issues and has curtailed the operations of SpiceJet, among other measures, amid a spurt in instances of technical snags.

    After being severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the domestic civil aviation sector is on the recovery path and on average, there are more than 6,000 aircraft movements in the Indian airspace daily.

    If overflying planes are also taken into account, the total would be over 7,000 movements.

    Aircraft movements include landings as well as departures.

    In the three-month period from April 1 to June 30 this year, a total of 150 incidents occurred to the aircraft operated by scheduled airlines due to component and system malfunction, according to the civil aviation ministry.

    During the period from May 2 to July 13, DGCA undertook a special drive of 353 spot checks.

    Emphasising that the aviation sector is “process-driven”, Kumar said, “there are hundreds of thousands of components in an aircraft and if one or two components have issues, it does not always mean that there are high risks or the possibility of fatal incidents”.

    He also noted that it will be naive to assume that an aircraft, which flies till it is airworthy, does 40-50 thousand hours of flying, will not have a technical snag.

    On July 27, DGCA directed SpiceJet to operate only 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks and decided to keep the airline under enhanced surveillance in the wake of a spate of technical snags suffered by the carrier’s planes.

    The same day, SpiceJet issued a statement saying that due to the current lean travel season, the airline like others had already rescheduled its flight operations and that there will be absolutely no impact on its flight operations.

    Responding to reservations expressed in certain quarters that DGCA action against SpiceJet was not strong enough, Kumar said, “I am not here to shut down airlines.

    My role is to take measures to ensure safe and efficient flying”.

    The DGCA chief also mentioned that the fleet of Indian carriers is mostly young compared to those of many other countries.

    “The focus is always on safety and to ensure that any situation is not allowed to worsen”.

    The safety oversight process of DGCA includes surveillance, spot check and regulatory audits embodied in the annual surveillance programme.

    On July 28, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told the Lok Sabha that a total of 478 technical snags were reported in the last one year — from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.

    NEW DELHI: Aviation watchdog DGCA’s chief Arun Kumar on Sunday said technical snags faced by domestic carriers in recent weeks did not have the potential to cause havoc and that even foreign airlines that came to India reported 15 technical snags in the last 16 days.

    The country’s civil aviation space is “absolutely safe” and all the protocols laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) are followed, he said.

    Against the backdrop of a spate of technical snags suffered by Indian airlines in recent weeks and DGCA curtailing operations of SpiceJet, Kumar stressed that there is no need to panic as none of the events that have been reported/discussed had the potential to cause havoc.

    “All the snags experienced are routine and happen with all airlines and all types of fleet. In the last 16 days, even for the foreign operators who come to India, we have seen 15 technical snags, which have been attended and rectified,” Kumar told PTI in an interview.

    Specific details about snags that were faced by the overseas carriers were not disclosed.

    According to Kumar, the snags faced by the foreign operators were similar to that encountered by the Indian carriers.

    In recent times, more than a dozen instances of Indian carriers facing technical snags have become public, especially in the case of SpiceJet, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is keeping a close watch on the developments.

    “What most of them (recent incidents of technical snags) required was troubleshooting, replacement of some component say windshield due to outer layer crack, defective valve, high-pressure switch, landing gear uplock, hydraulic accumulator or an engine,” Kumar said.

    The regulator has started a two-month-long special audit of airlines to address possible issues and has curtailed the operations of SpiceJet, among other measures, amid a spurt in instances of technical snags.

    After being severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the domestic civil aviation sector is on the recovery path and on average, there are more than 6,000 aircraft movements in the Indian airspace daily.

    If overflying planes are also taken into account, the total would be over 7,000 movements.

    Aircraft movements include landings as well as departures.

    In the three-month period from April 1 to June 30 this year, a total of 150 incidents occurred to the aircraft operated by scheduled airlines due to component and system malfunction, according to the civil aviation ministry.

    During the period from May 2 to July 13, DGCA undertook a special drive of 353 spot checks.

    Emphasising that the aviation sector is “process-driven”, Kumar said, “there are hundreds of thousands of components in an aircraft and if one or two components have issues, it does not always mean that there are high risks or the possibility of fatal incidents”.

    He also noted that it will be naive to assume that an aircraft, which flies till it is airworthy, does 40-50 thousand hours of flying, will not have a technical snag.

    On July 27, DGCA directed SpiceJet to operate only 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks and decided to keep the airline under enhanced surveillance in the wake of a spate of technical snags suffered by the carrier’s planes.

    The same day, SpiceJet issued a statement saying that due to the current lean travel season, the airline like others had already rescheduled its flight operations and that there will be absolutely no impact on its flight operations.

    Responding to reservations expressed in certain quarters that DGCA action against SpiceJet was not strong enough, Kumar said, “I am not here to shut down airlines.

    My role is to take measures to ensure safe and efficient flying”.

    The DGCA chief also mentioned that the fleet of Indian carriers is mostly young compared to those of many other countries.

    “The focus is always on safety and to ensure that any situation is not allowed to worsen”.

    The safety oversight process of DGCA includes surveillance, spot check and regulatory audits embodied in the annual surveillance programme.

    On July 28, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told the Lok Sabha that a total of 478 technical snags were reported in the last one year — from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.

  • Airlines can’t deny boarding to differently-abled persons: DGCA

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) today said that no airlines shall deny boarding to differently-abled persons with disability or reduced mobility. This includes assistive aids, escorts and guide dogs, provided such persons or their representatives at the time of booking inform the airline of their requirements, the aviation regulator says.

    “Airlines shall incorporate appropriate provisions on their website within three months, so that while making bookings, passengers with disability have the option to select the required facilities, which they require during the journey,” says DGCA.

    There is a need to standardise the conditions for travel of persons with disability so as to facilitate their acceptance and handling of their carriage by the airlines, airport operators, ground handling agencies.

    This comes within two months after a specially-abled teenager and his parents could not board their scheduled flight to Hyderabad from Ranchi after IndiGo staff denied them entry into the aircraft. 

    According to DGCA, a person with disability means any individual who has a physical or mental impairment that, on a permanent or temporary basis, substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment.

    “In case, an airline perceives that the health of such a passenger may deteriorate in-flight, the said passenger will have to be examined by a doctor in person – who shall in his/her opinion, categorically state the medical condition and whether the passenger is fit to fly or not,” says DGCA, adding that the airline shall take an appropriate decision on the carriage of such a passenger after obtaining the medical opinion.

    “In case of refusal of carriage by the airline, it shall inform the passenger in writing with the reasons therein immediately.”

    Airlines including their travel agents shall not discriminate against differently-abled persons or reduced mobility in providing access for internet ticketing, special discounted fares, time limit for holding the bookings, reservations on telephone, the regulator says.

    ALSO READ | Akasa Air gets flying licence from DGCA 

    DGCA says it should be the responsibility of the persons with disability to notify their needs at least 48 hours before the scheduled time of departure so that the airline makes necessary arrangements.

    Once persons with disability or reduced mobility report at the airport with valid booking and intention to travel, the airline shall provide assistance to meet their particular needs and ensure their seamless travel from the departure terminal of the departing airport upto the aircraft and at the end of the journey from the aircraft to the arrival terminal exit, without any additional expenses.

    Meanwhile, The Freedom of Movement Coalition (FMC) (a pan India group advocating for equity in transport) has urged for a roll back of DGCA’s decision for passengers with disabilities to fly as they allege it is discriminatory.

    FMC, through a release  has requested the DGCA for a meeting to address issues raised by the disability sector which according to them have been unresolved for over a decade now. 

    NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) today said that no airlines shall deny boarding to differently-abled persons with disability or reduced mobility. This includes assistive aids, escorts and guide dogs, provided such persons or their representatives at the time of booking inform the airline of their requirements, the aviation regulator says.

    “Airlines shall incorporate appropriate provisions on their website within three months, so that while making bookings, passengers with disability have the option to select the required facilities, which they require during the journey,” says DGCA.

    There is a need to standardise the conditions for travel of persons with disability so as to facilitate their acceptance and handling of their carriage by the airlines, airport operators, ground handling agencies.

    This comes within two months after a specially-abled teenager and his parents could not board their scheduled flight to Hyderabad from Ranchi after IndiGo staff denied them entry into the aircraft. 

    According to DGCA, a person with disability means any individual who has a physical or mental impairment that, on a permanent or temporary basis, substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment.

    “In case, an airline perceives that the health of such a passenger may deteriorate in-flight, the said passenger will have to be examined by a doctor in person – who shall in his/her opinion, categorically state the medical condition and whether the passenger is fit to fly or not,” says DGCA, adding that the airline shall take an appropriate decision on the carriage of such a passenger after obtaining the medical opinion.

    “In case of refusal of carriage by the airline, it shall inform the passenger in writing with the reasons therein immediately.”

    Airlines including their travel agents shall not discriminate against differently-abled persons or reduced mobility in providing access for internet ticketing, special discounted fares, time limit for holding the bookings, reservations on telephone, the regulator says.

    ALSO READ | Akasa Air gets flying licence from DGCA 

    DGCA says it should be the responsibility of the persons with disability to notify their needs at least 48 hours before the scheduled time of departure so that the airline makes necessary arrangements.

    Once persons with disability or reduced mobility report at the airport with valid booking and intention to travel, the airline shall provide assistance to meet their particular needs and ensure their seamless travel from the departure terminal of the departing airport upto the aircraft and at the end of the journey from the aircraft to the arrival terminal exit, without any additional expenses.

    Meanwhile, The Freedom of Movement Coalition (FMC) (a pan India group advocating for equity in transport) has urged for a roll back of DGCA’s decision for passengers with disabilities to fly as they allege it is discriminatory.

    FMC, through a release  has requested the DGCA for a meeting to address issues raised by the disability sector which according to them have been unresolved for over a decade now. 

  • Air India’s Dubai-Kochi flight diverts to Mumbai after pilot reports cabin pressure loss

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Air India’s Dubai-Kochi flight was diverted to Mumbai on Thursday after the pilot-in-command reported a loss in cabin pressure, officials of aviation regulator DGCA said.

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has grounded the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft and off-rostered this flight’s crew, they said.

    It has also started investigating the incident, the officials said.

    This is the third instance in the last three days when the aviation regulator grounded a plane after an incident.

    On Tuesday, Go First’s Mumbai-Leh and Srinagar-Delhi flights faced engine snags and both the planes were grounded by the DGCA.

    An Air India spokesperson said the matter has been reported to the DGCA.

    “Flight AI 934, operating from Dubai to Cochin, was diverted to Mumbai today due to a technical issue. The B787 aircraft landed safely at Mumbai at 1912 hrs with 247 passengers and crew. An alternate aircraft is being arranged to carry passengers from Mumbai to Kochi,” the spokesperson said.

    DGCA officials said that when the Air India flight was heading from Dubai to Kochi on Thursday, the pilot observed a loss in cabin pressure and immediately contacted the integrated operations control centre (IOCC) of the airline as well as the air traffic controller.

    Oxygen masks were deployed so that the passengers do not face any discomfiture.

    The plane was allowed to divert to the nearest airport, which in this case was the one in Mumbai and it landed safely, they added.

    An aircraft generally operates at an altitude of around 30,000 feet where the oxygen level is quite less.

    Therefore, all aircraft create pressure inside the cabin so that there is sufficient oxygen for passengers and crew members.

    There have been multiple technical malfunction incidents in planes flown by Indian carriers in the last one month.

    Between Sunday and Tuesday, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held multiple meetings with airlines and officials from his ministry and DGCA to ensure safety oversight.

    READ HERE | Aircraft technical snags: DGCA crackdown finds insufficient engineering staff certifying planes

    The DGCA had on Monday said it conducted spot checks and found that an insufficient number of engineering personnel were certifying planes of various carriers before take-off.

    Before each departure, an aircraft is checked and certified by an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME).

    The DGCA has now issued guidelines for airlines on deployment of qualified AMEs and directed them to comply by July 28.

    “The spot checks also found that AME teams of airlines are improperly identifying the “cause of a reported defect”, the DGCA order stated.

    A Go First flight heading from Delhi to Guwahati on Wednesday was diverted to Jaipur after the A320neo aircraft’s windshield cracked mid-air.

    On July 17, IndiGo’s Sharjah-Hyderabad flight was diverted to Karachi as a precautionary measure after pilots observed a defect in one engine.

    On the night of July 16, the Calicut-Dubai flight of the Air India Express was diverted to Muscat after a burning smell was observed in the cabin mid-air.

    A live bird was found in the cockpit of the Air India Express Bahrain-Kochi flight on July 15.

    SpiceJet is also under the scanner.

    On July 6, the DGCA issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet following at least eight incidents of technical malfunction in its aircraft since June 19.

    The DGCA is currently investigating all these incidents.

    NEW DELHI: Air India’s Dubai-Kochi flight was diverted to Mumbai on Thursday after the pilot-in-command reported a loss in cabin pressure, officials of aviation regulator DGCA said.

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has grounded the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft and off-rostered this flight’s crew, they said.

    It has also started investigating the incident, the officials said.

    This is the third instance in the last three days when the aviation regulator grounded a plane after an incident.

    On Tuesday, Go First’s Mumbai-Leh and Srinagar-Delhi flights faced engine snags and both the planes were grounded by the DGCA.

    An Air India spokesperson said the matter has been reported to the DGCA.

    “Flight AI 934, operating from Dubai to Cochin, was diverted to Mumbai today due to a technical issue. The B787 aircraft landed safely at Mumbai at 1912 hrs with 247 passengers and crew. An alternate aircraft is being arranged to carry passengers from Mumbai to Kochi,” the spokesperson said.

    DGCA officials said that when the Air India flight was heading from Dubai to Kochi on Thursday, the pilot observed a loss in cabin pressure and immediately contacted the integrated operations control centre (IOCC) of the airline as well as the air traffic controller.

    Oxygen masks were deployed so that the passengers do not face any discomfiture.

    The plane was allowed to divert to the nearest airport, which in this case was the one in Mumbai and it landed safely, they added.

    An aircraft generally operates at an altitude of around 30,000 feet where the oxygen level is quite less.

    Therefore, all aircraft create pressure inside the cabin so that there is sufficient oxygen for passengers and crew members.

    There have been multiple technical malfunction incidents in planes flown by Indian carriers in the last one month.

    Between Sunday and Tuesday, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held multiple meetings with airlines and officials from his ministry and DGCA to ensure safety oversight.

    READ HERE | Aircraft technical snags: DGCA crackdown finds insufficient engineering staff certifying planes

    The DGCA had on Monday said it conducted spot checks and found that an insufficient number of engineering personnel were certifying planes of various carriers before take-off.

    Before each departure, an aircraft is checked and certified by an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME).

    The DGCA has now issued guidelines for airlines on deployment of qualified AMEs and directed them to comply by July 28.

    “The spot checks also found that AME teams of airlines are improperly identifying the “cause of a reported defect”, the DGCA order stated.

    A Go First flight heading from Delhi to Guwahati on Wednesday was diverted to Jaipur after the A320neo aircraft’s windshield cracked mid-air.

    On July 17, IndiGo’s Sharjah-Hyderabad flight was diverted to Karachi as a precautionary measure after pilots observed a defect in one engine.

    On the night of July 16, the Calicut-Dubai flight of the Air India Express was diverted to Muscat after a burning smell was observed in the cabin mid-air.

    A live bird was found in the cockpit of the Air India Express Bahrain-Kochi flight on July 15.

    SpiceJet is also under the scanner.

    On July 6, the DGCA issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet following at least eight incidents of technical malfunction in its aircraft since June 19.

    The DGCA is currently investigating all these incidents.

  • Aircraft technical snags: DGCA crackdown finds insufficient engineering staff certifying planes

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: With airlines reporting multiple technical malfunction incidents, aviation regulator DGCA on Monday said it conducted spot checks and found that there is an insufficient number of required engineering personnel certifying planes of various carriers before their scheduled arrivals/departures in a short interval.

    Before each departure, an aircraft is checked and certified by an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME).

    The DGCA has now issued guidelines for airlines on the deployment of AME personnel and directed them to comply by July 28. 

    The spot checks also found that the AME teams of airlines are improperly identifying the “cause of a reported defect”, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’s order noted.

    “We will ask operators to be more vigilant. On our part also, we will further tighten our oversight,’’ said the Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Kumar. There will be more spot checks, audits of domestic airline operators, and this will ensure that airlines are more vigilant, he added.

    The DGCA has also found that there has been an “increasing trend of MEL (minimum equipment list) releases” of aircraft, the order said.

    “MEL releases” means an aircraft is allowed to fly with certain inoperative equipment or instruments for a specific period of time, until the repairs are done. It is also seen that airlines are resorting to frequent one-off authorisation to Category A certifying staff at transit stations which is not in line with existing regulatory provisions,” the DGCA said.

    ALSO READ | Aircraft technical snags: DGCA crackdown finds insufficient engineering staff certifying planes

    The engineering head of one of the Indian airlines explained that a Category A engineer is called a ‘limited scope engineer’, and he or she is allowed to certify and release planes for departures only when the aircraft does not have any complex defect.

    The Category B1 engineer is one step above the Category A engineer and he or she is capable of handling mechanical defects. Similarly, Category B2 engineering is capable of handling defects in the electronic equipment of planes.

    The DGCA said: “It has been decided that all aircraft at base and transit stations shall be released by certifying staff holding AME Category B1/B2 license with appropriate authorisation by their organisation.”

    The regulator told airlines to position Category B1 and Category B2 engineers at all base and transit stations and make sure that required tools and equipment are available. “Alternatively, you may opt for sending the certifying staff on flight duties,” the DGCA mentioned.

    The DGCA said that its directions must be complied with by July 28.

    The airline engineering head, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that it will be very difficult for airlines to place Category B1 or Category B2 engineers on all transit stations. “If I operate one flight per day from Jorhat or Jharsuguda, how can I keep two Category B1 or B2 engineers — which are anyway in fewer numbers — just to certify and release that one flight,” the head explained.

    Meanwhile, Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, held a high-level meeting following the air safety-related incidents. “There should be no compromise when it comes to the safety of people,’’ he said.

    There have been multiple technical malfunction incidents in Indian carriers’ planes during the last month.

    On Sunday, IndiGo’s Sharjah-Hyderabad flight was diverted to Karachi as a precautionary measure after pilots observed a defect in one of the engines.

    On Saturday night, the Calicut-Dubai flight of the Air India Express was diverted to Muscat after a burning smell was observed in the cabin mid-air. The smell was coming from one of the vents in the forward galley and the pilots, therefore, diverted the plane to Muscat and landed safely.

    A day earlier a bird, which was alive, was found in the cockpit of the Air India Express Bahrain-Kochi flight.

    A few days earlier, a SpiceJet flight SG11 made an emergency landing at Karachi airport. The Delhi to Dubai international flight suffered a technical fault and made the landing at Pakistan’s Karachi airport on July 5. A replacement flight ferried the passengers to Dubai later in the day. More than 150 passengers were present on board the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

    Indian carriers have landed in Pakistan as the flights involved were travelling between Gulf and India and the only flight route between India and Gulf nations either passes through Pakistan or over the Arabian Sea, adjacent to Pakistan.

    SpiceJet is under regulatory scanner right now. On July 6, the DGCA issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet following at least eight incidents of technical malfunction in its aircraft since June 19.

    The DGCA is currently investigating all these incidents.

    ALSO READ | Will be ‘doubly careful’, strengthen aircraft inspection before flights: SpiceJet CMD

    (With inputs from Express News Service and Online Desk)

    NEW DELHI: With airlines reporting multiple technical malfunction incidents, aviation regulator DGCA on Monday said it conducted spot checks and found that there is an insufficient number of required engineering personnel certifying planes of various carriers before their scheduled arrivals/departures in a short interval.

    Before each departure, an aircraft is checked and certified by an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME).

    The DGCA has now issued guidelines for airlines on the deployment of AME personnel and directed them to comply by July 28. 

    The spot checks also found that the AME teams of airlines are improperly identifying the “cause of a reported defect”, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’s order noted.

    “We will ask operators to be more vigilant. On our part also, we will further tighten our oversight,’’ said the Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Kumar. There will be more spot checks, audits of domestic airline operators, and this will ensure that airlines are more vigilant, he added.

    The DGCA has also found that there has been an “increasing trend of MEL (minimum equipment list) releases” of aircraft, the order said.

    “MEL releases” means an aircraft is allowed to fly with certain inoperative equipment or instruments for a specific period of time, until the repairs are done. It is also seen that airlines are resorting to frequent one-off authorisation to Category A certifying staff at transit stations which is not in line with existing regulatory provisions,” the DGCA said.

    ALSO READ | Aircraft technical snags: DGCA crackdown finds insufficient engineering staff certifying planes

    The engineering head of one of the Indian airlines explained that a Category A engineer is called a ‘limited scope engineer’, and he or she is allowed to certify and release planes for departures only when the aircraft does not have any complex defect.

    The Category B1 engineer is one step above the Category A engineer and he or she is capable of handling mechanical defects. Similarly, Category B2 engineering is capable of handling defects in the electronic equipment of planes.

    The DGCA said: “It has been decided that all aircraft at base and transit stations shall be released by certifying staff holding AME Category B1/B2 license with appropriate authorisation by their organisation.”

    The regulator told airlines to position Category B1 and Category B2 engineers at all base and transit stations and make sure that required tools and equipment are available. “Alternatively, you may opt for sending the certifying staff on flight duties,” the DGCA mentioned.

    The DGCA said that its directions must be complied with by July 28.

    The airline engineering head, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that it will be very difficult for airlines to place Category B1 or Category B2 engineers on all transit stations. “If I operate one flight per day from Jorhat or Jharsuguda, how can I keep two Category B1 or B2 engineers — which are anyway in fewer numbers — just to certify and release that one flight,” the head explained.

    Meanwhile, Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, held a high-level meeting following the air safety-related incidents. “There should be no compromise when it comes to the safety of people,’’ he said.

    There have been multiple technical malfunction incidents in Indian carriers’ planes during the last month.

    On Sunday, IndiGo’s Sharjah-Hyderabad flight was diverted to Karachi as a precautionary measure after pilots observed a defect in one of the engines.

    On Saturday night, the Calicut-Dubai flight of the Air India Express was diverted to Muscat after a burning smell was observed in the cabin mid-air. The smell was coming from one of the vents in the forward galley and the pilots, therefore, diverted the plane to Muscat and landed safely.

    A day earlier a bird, which was alive, was found in the cockpit of the Air India Express Bahrain-Kochi flight.

    A few days earlier, a SpiceJet flight SG11 made an emergency landing at Karachi airport. The Delhi to Dubai international flight suffered a technical fault and made the landing at Pakistan’s Karachi airport on July 5. A replacement flight ferried the passengers to Dubai later in the day. More than 150 passengers were present on board the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

    Indian carriers have landed in Pakistan as the flights involved were travelling between Gulf and India and the only flight route between India and Gulf nations either passes through Pakistan or over the Arabian Sea, adjacent to Pakistan.

    SpiceJet is under regulatory scanner right now. On July 6, the DGCA issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet following at least eight incidents of technical malfunction in its aircraft since June 19.

    The DGCA is currently investigating all these incidents.

    ALSO READ | Will be ‘doubly careful’, strengthen aircraft inspection before flights: SpiceJet CMD

    (With inputs from Express News Service and Online Desk)

  • DGCA issues inquiry on incidents reported in Vistara and Indigo

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an inquiry regarding two separate incidents that were reported in Vistara and Indigo airlines on Tuesday.

    In the incident regarding Vistara airlines, the engine on a Bangkok-Delhi flight (A320) failed shortly after it landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airline said that it had an uneventful flight and touched down safely in Delhi.

    Vistara airlines were asked to pay a sum of Rs 10 lakh penalty last month by the DGCA, for allowing a co-pilot to land an aircraft in Indore despite not having the requisite training in a simulator. The airline apologised for the ‘regrettable violation’.

    ALSO READ | DGCA issues show cause notice to SpiceJet after eight incidents in last 18 days

    In the second incident, which was reported on Tuesday, in Indigo during a Raipur-Indore flight smoke was seen billowing from the cabin after it landed. All passengers were able to disembark safely.

    These incidents have come a day after the DGCA sent a notice to Spicejet for the unusually high number of incidents involving its fleet during the past three weeks.

    Meanwhile, sources say that more than 30 incidents are reported on average every day, which include go-around, missed approaches, diversion, medical emergencies, and bird hits. Most of them have no safety implications.

  • Along with SpiceJet, malfunction incidents on IndiGo and Vistara flights come to light

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: As SpiceJet faces heat from the aviation regulator DGCA for multiple flight incidents in the last few weeks, malfunction cases involving planes of IndiGo and Vistara came to light on Wednesday.

    An engine of a Vistara aircraft on way from Bangkok failed after it landed at the Delhi airport on Tuesday but all passengers disembarked safely, officials of the aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday.

    When approached for comments, the airline said the integrated drive generator (IDG) on the engine developed a “minor” electrical malfunction after it landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday.

    IDG is an electrical generator which provides electricity to an aircraft. DGCA officials said after vacating the runway, the engine number 2 of the aircraft was shut down as pilots wanted to do single-engine taxiing using engine number 1.

    However, as engine number 1 failed at the end of the taxi way, a tow truck was brought to take the aircraft to the parking bay.

    On Tuesday, the cabin crew of an IndiGo’s Raipur-Indore flight observed smoke in the plane after it landed at its destination, the DGCA officials noted. IndiGo did not respond to PTI’s request for a statement on this matter.

    Aviation regulator DGCA issued a show-cause notice Wednesday to SpiceJet after it reported eight technical malfunction incidents involving its planes over the last 18 days, flagging safety oversight, inadequate maintenance and payment-related shortage of spares.

    SpiceJet has failed to “establish safe, efficient and reliable air services” under the terms of Rule 134 and Schedule XI of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the notice issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated.

  • Smoke detected in cabin of IndiGo’s Raipur-Indore flight; DGCA begins probe

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The cabin crew of an IndiGo Raipur-Indore flight observed smoke in the plane after it landed at its destination on Tuesday, officials of aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday.

    All the passengers were able to disembark from the aircraft safely, they said.

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the incident, the officials added.

    IndiGo did not respond to PTI’s request for a statement on this matter.

    Officials said the cabin crew observed smoke in the cabin after the A320 aircraft landed.

    Aviation regulator DGCA issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet on Wednesday following eight technical malfunction incidents involving the airline’s planes in the last 18 days.

  • Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight suffers fuel indicator malfunction, diverted to Karachi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/KARACHI: SpiceJet’s Delhi-Dubai flight suffered a mid-air malfunction in its fuel indicator on Tuesday and was diverted to Karachi and cracks developed on the windshield of another plane of the budget carrier at a height of 23,000 feet forcing a priority landing in Mumbai in a double whammy for the airline.

    The two episodes on a single day have taken the total number of technical malfunction incidents involving SpiceJet aircraft to seven in the last 17 days.

    The Dubai flight was operated by Boeing 737 Max with around 150 passengers on board, according to officials. The number of passengers on the 78-seater Q400 plane on a Kandla-Mumbai flight was not immediately known.

    According to officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aviation regulator is investigating all the seven incidents.

    The Boeing 737 Max aircraft — which was heading from Delhi to Dubai on Tuesday morning — started showing unusual fuel quantity reduction from its left tank when it was mid-air, following which it was diverted to Karachi, they said.

    When an inspection was done at the Karachi airport, no visual leak was observed from the left tank, they added.

    An official of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCCA) said the pilot of SpiceJet’s Delhi-Dubai flight contacted the control tower while flying over Pakistan airspace, informing that the aircraft has developed some technical fault.

    After the plane was allowed to land on humanitarian grounds, engineers of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) worked with SpiceJet crew to locate and rectify the technical fault, the PCCA official added.

    ALSO READ | SpiceJet’s Q400 plane conducts priority landing in Mumbai after windshield cracks mid-air

    “Apparently, there was a problem with the aircraft’s light indicator machinery, but it could not be repaired immediately so another aircraft was arranged to take the passengers to Dubai,” he said.

    Another source at the Karachi airport said around 150 passengers were on board the aircraft and were provided food and refreshments.

    SpiceJet’s replacement aircraft was despatched from Mumbai and landed at the Karachi airport at 6.15 pm (IST). This plane departed from Karachi at 9.45 pm (IST) with the passengers to Dubai.

    In the second incident, the pilots of the Q400 plane had to carry out a priority landing at Mumbai airport after its windshield cracked at 23,000 feet altitude, DGCA officials said.

    The aircraft did not face any cabin pressurisation issues, they said. “On 5th July, 2022, SpiceJet Q400 aircraft was operating SG 3324 (Kandla-Mumbai). During cruise at FL230 (23,000 feet altitude), P2 side windshield outer pane cracked. Pressurization was observed to be normal. The aircraft landed safely in Mumbai,” the SpiceJet said in a statement.

    Commenting on the Delhi-Dubai flight incident, the airline said, “On July 5, 2022, SpiceJet B737 aircraft operating flight SG-11 (Delhi-Dubai) was diverted to Karachi due to an indicator light malfunctioning. The aircraft landed safely at Karachi and passengers were safely disembarked.”

    “No emergency was declared and the aircraft made a normal landing. There was no earlier report of any malfunction with the aircraft,” it added.

    Passengers have been served refreshments, it had said earlier in the day. Since June 19, there have been seven incidents involving SpiceJet planes.

    On June 19, an engine on the carrier’s Delhi-bound aircraft carrying 185 passengers caught fire soon after the takeoff from Patna airport and the plane made an emergency landing minutes later. The engine malfunctioned because of a bird hit.

    In another incident on June 19, a flight for Jabalpur had to return to Delhi due to cabin pressurisation issues.

    Fuselage door warnings lit up on two separate planes while taking off on June 24 and June 25, forcing them to abandon their journeys and return.

    On July 2, a flight heading to Jabalpur returned to Delhi after the crew members observed smoke in the cabin at around 5,000 feet altitude. Notably, SpiceJet has been making losses for the last three years.

    The carrier incurred a net loss of Rs 316 crore, Rs 934 crore and Rs 998 crore in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. Shares of SpiceJet fell by over 2 per cent in the backdrop of a series of technical incidents involving the airline.

    On Tuesday when its Dubai-bound plane was diverted to Karachi the airline’s scrip dropped 2.33 per cent to close at Rs 37.65 apiece on BSE. The scrip, which opened at Rs 38.50, touched an intra-day low of Rs 37.45.

    During the session, it had recorded an intra-day high of Rs 38.95. The 52-week low of the carrier’s shares is Rs 37.15.