DGCA surveillance at major airports reveals several lapses related to aviation safety
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said that it found several lapses, including instances of the reappearance of previously reported defects on aircraft and non-adherence to proper work order, during surveillance conducted at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai.
The civil aviation regulator had on June 19 ordered an assessment of the aviation sector to strengthen safety measures. This came after the plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed 275 persons.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that two of its teams 'carried out comprehensive surveillance during night and early morning hours at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai'.
It said that several critical areas such as flight operations, airworthiness, ramp safety, air traffic control, communication, navigation and surveillance systems, and pre-flight medical evaluations were examined.
The civil aviation regulator said that it found several cases where 'reported defects re-appeared many times on the aircraft, indicating the ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action on the defects/repeated defects'.
The equipment used on the ground such as baggage trollies and Bulk Freight Loaders were found to be unserviceable, the statement said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation flagged instances of thrust reverser systems being found unserviceable, and flap slat levers not being locked.
A thrust reverser system on an aircraft redirects the exhaust of its engines to create a reverse thrust, helping the plane slow down after landing. The flap slat lever controls the operation of the leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps on an aircraft, which are used to increase lift and drag.
The civil aviation regulator said that during maintenance, safety precautions were found to be not taken by the aircraft maintenance engineer as per the aircraft maintenance manual. 'Defect reports generated by the aircraft system, were not found recorded in the technical logbook,' it added.
Several life vests were not properly secured beneath their designated seats, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said, adding that 'the corrosion-resistant tape on the right-hand side winglet's lower blade was found to be damaged'.
It also said that the centre line marking of a runway was faded at an airport and the rapid exit taxiway, green centre lights were not unidirectional. 'The obstruction limitation data has not been updated for last three years and no survey has been performed despite many new constructions around the vicinity of aerodrome,' the civil aviation regulator added.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also said that a number of vehicles in the ramp area were found without speed governors, which are devices designed to control and limit their speed. These vehicles were withdrawn and drivers suspended, it added.
A simulator was checked and found to not match the aircraft configuration, the authority said.
In another case, a domestic flight of a scheduled carrier was cancelled due to worn out tyres. It was released only after the required rectification was carried out, it said.
'All the findings observed during the surveillance have been communicated to the concerned operators for taking necessary corrective actions within seven days,' the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said, adding that the surveillance would continue to detect hazards in the system.
Air India crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which was en route to London's Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad, crashed just 33 seconds after taking off on June 12. This is being viewed as the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade.
There were 242 persons aboard the aircraft. One passenger survived with ' impact injuries '.
Thirty-four persons were also killed on the ground after the plane crashed into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, according to Air India.
Following the crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that it had conducted checks on Air India's Boeing 787 aircraft fleet, adding that it did not reveal major safety concerns.
The civil aviation regulator also ordered Air India to remove three officials, including a senior executive part of the flight operations department, from all roles related to crew rostering. The action was initiated for 'systemic failures' and 'multiple violations concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements', its order said.
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4 days ago
- Scroll.in
DGCA surveillance at major airports reveals several lapses related to aviation safety
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said that it found several lapses, including instances of the reappearance of previously reported defects on aircraft and non-adherence to proper work order, during surveillance conducted at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai. The civil aviation regulator had on June 19 ordered an assessment of the aviation sector to strengthen safety measures. This came after the plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed 275 persons. In a statement on Tuesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that two of its teams 'carried out comprehensive surveillance during night and early morning hours at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai'. It said that several critical areas such as flight operations, airworthiness, ramp safety, air traffic control, communication, navigation and surveillance systems, and pre-flight medical evaluations were examined. The civil aviation regulator said that it found several cases where 'reported defects re-appeared many times on the aircraft, indicating the ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action on the defects/repeated defects'. The equipment used on the ground such as baggage trollies and Bulk Freight Loaders were found to be unserviceable, the statement said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation flagged instances of thrust reverser systems being found unserviceable, and flap slat levers not being locked. A thrust reverser system on an aircraft redirects the exhaust of its engines to create a reverse thrust, helping the plane slow down after landing. The flap slat lever controls the operation of the leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps on an aircraft, which are used to increase lift and drag. The civil aviation regulator said that during maintenance, safety precautions were found to be not taken by the aircraft maintenance engineer as per the aircraft maintenance manual. 'Defect reports generated by the aircraft system, were not found recorded in the technical logbook,' it added. Several life vests were not properly secured beneath their designated seats, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said, adding that 'the corrosion-resistant tape on the right-hand side winglet's lower blade was found to be damaged'. It also said that the centre line marking of a runway was faded at an airport and the rapid exit taxiway, green centre lights were not unidirectional. 'The obstruction limitation data has not been updated for last three years and no survey has been performed despite many new constructions around the vicinity of aerodrome,' the civil aviation regulator added. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also said that a number of vehicles in the ramp area were found without speed governors, which are devices designed to control and limit their speed. These vehicles were withdrawn and drivers suspended, it added. A simulator was checked and found to not match the aircraft configuration, the authority said. In another case, a domestic flight of a scheduled carrier was cancelled due to worn out tyres. It was released only after the required rectification was carried out, it said. 'All the findings observed during the surveillance have been communicated to the concerned operators for taking necessary corrective actions within seven days,' the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said, adding that the surveillance would continue to detect hazards in the system. Air India crash Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which was en route to London's Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad, crashed just 33 seconds after taking off on June 12. This is being viewed as the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. There were 242 persons aboard the aircraft. One passenger survived with ' impact injuries '. Thirty-four persons were also killed on the ground after the plane crashed into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, according to Air India. Following the crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that it had conducted checks on Air India's Boeing 787 aircraft fleet, adding that it did not reveal major safety concerns. The civil aviation regulator also ordered Air India to remove three officials, including a senior executive part of the flight operations department, from all roles related to crew rostering. The action was initiated for 'systemic failures' and 'multiple violations concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements', its order said.
NDTV
4 days ago
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Explained: How To Become A Pilot After Class 12th In India
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Time of India
4 days ago
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Address safety lapses within a week: DGCA to airlines, airports
Mumbai: Recurring aircraft defects, unserviceable ground handling gear, and faded runway markings are among a range of safety lapses discovered by the civil aviation regulator after an intensive survey of key airports including Delhi and Mumbai. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered airport operators and airlines to address these safety concerns within a week. The inspections come on the heels of the June 12 crash of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on board the aircraft and 34 on the ground. The accident triggered a sharp regulatory spotlight on the country's aviation safety practices . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo The DGCA said it launched the inspections subsequent to its June 19 safety order aimed at tightening oversight in the civil aviation sector. "We have initiated a focused assessment of the aviation ecosystem to strengthen safety measures across the sector," the regulator said in a statement. Two DGCA teams, led by the joint director general, conducted overnight and early morning checks at major airports. It covered aircraft operations, maintenance practices, ramp safety, air traffic control, communication and navigation systems, and medical checks. Live Events The inspections revealed recurring issues that had been flagged previously but were not properly addressed. "Multiple cases wherein the reported defects re-appeared many times on the aircraft indicating the ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action on the defects/ repeated defects," the DGCA said. The regulator also found unserviceable ground handling equipment such as damaged baggage trolleys and lifting devices, and lapses in basic maintenance practices. "Line maintenance stores, tool control procedures were not followed. During maintenance of aircraft, the work order was not followed. The unserviceable thrust reverser system and Flap Slat Lever were not locked. During maintenance, safety precautions found not taken by AME as per AMM," it noted. In some cases, maintenance engineers did not attend to defects and failed to log critical issues flagged by aircraft systems. "Defect reports generated by the aircraft system were not found recorded in the technical logbook." The DGCA also raised concerns over emergency preparedness, pointing out that "several life vests were not properly secured beneath their designated seats."
