Faulty simulators, training gaps among 100 violations by Air India: Audit
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) made 51 findings containing the violations and observations during its July 1-4 audit, at least two senior officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times. The review was unrelated to the investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India flight 171, which claimed 260 lives.
Many of the violations identified fall under 'level 1' safety classification, considered critical lapses requiring immediate corrective measures to ensure safe airline operations. Air India has been given until July 30 to submit a detailed report on corrective actions taken.
'The audit was conducted as part of steps taken to ensure world-best safety practices,' said a second official familiar with the matter, emphasising the regulator's ongoing efforts to enhance India's aviation safety framework.
Also read: Air passenger complaints till June nearly 98% of total in 2024
Reuters, which first reported the story citing an 11-page confidential audit report, revealed that the violations included seven 'Level I' significant breaches requiring immediate correction by July 30, while 44 other non-compliances must be resolved by August 23.
The audit, conducted by 10 DGCA inspectors and four additional auditors, uncovered critical operational gaps across multiple areas. Reuters reported that investigators found 'recurrent training gaps' amongst Boeing 787 and 777 pilots who had not completed mandatory monitoring duties ahead of periodic evaluations. Air India operates 34 Boeing 787s and 23 Boeing 777s, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.
Amongst the most serious violations, Reuters reported that an Air India Boeing 787 flight from Milan to New Delhi exceeded flight duty time limitations by 2 hours and 18 minutes, classified as a 'Level I' non-compliance.
The audit also found that Air India failed to conduct proper route assessments for challenging Category C airports and used simulators that did not meet qualification standards for training, the agency stated.
The carrier's rostering system was criticised for lacking 'hard alerts' when minimum crew requirements weren't met, with at least four international flights operating with insufficient cabin crew, according to the Reuters report.
Additional safety lapses included inconsistencies in door and equipment checks, gaps in training documentation, and the absence of chief pilots for the Airbus A320 and A350 fleets. 'This results in a lack of accountability and effective monitoring of flight operations for these aircraft types,' the audit report stated, according to Reuters.
Air India acknowledged the findings, stating it was 'fully transparent' during the audit and would 'submit our response to the regulator within the stipulated time frame, along with details of corrective actions taken.'
The DGCA did not respond to requests for a comment.
The audit comes as Air India faces mounting regulatory pressure. On July 23, the DGCA issued four show cause notices to the airline based on voluntary disclosures, whilst senior executives received separate notices highlighting 29 'systemic' lapses.
Following the June crash, the DGCA conducted mandatory safety checks on all Boeing 787 aircraft and expressed concerns about increasing incidents involving both Air India and Air India Express flights. The regulator has given the airline one month to reassess its operations.
Since its 2022 acquisition by the Tata Group, the carrier has aggressively expanded its international network, but it continues to face passenger complaints about aircraft maintenance and cabin conditions.
Last year, aviation authorities issued warnings or fines to airlines in 23 instances, with 11 involving the Air India Group, Reuters reported. The largest penalty was $127,000 imposed on Air India for 'insufficient oxygen on board' during international flights.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues its separate investigation into the June crash, having issued a preliminary report a month after the incident.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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