&w=3840&q=100)
DGCA orders special audit of chopper services in U'khand to check accidents
As a precautionary measure, DGCA is also reviewing the necessity of "curtailing" helicopter operations to Char Dham if required, it said.
On June 7, six people, including the pilot, had a narrow escape last Saturday when a Kestrel Aviation helicopter on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand after developing a technical snag during take-off.
DGCA has also intensified its oversight of Char Dham helicopter operations by actively monitoring live camera feeds provided by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) at Kedarnath, it said.
Recently, multiple occurrences involving helicopter operations during the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand have underscored the "necessity for further strengthening the safety oversight of these operations," the regulator said.
Safety investigation has been initiated for each of these occurrences to identify contributing factors, including mechanical failures, operational errors, and weather-related challenges, according to the statement.
"Reaffirming its steadfast commitment to aviation safety, DGCA is responding proactively on these occurrences and has ordered special audits/enhanced surveillance for helicopter operators involved in shuttle services and charter operations in Uttarakhand," it said.
Additionally, it said, directives have been issued to all helicopter operators, restricting operations to OGE conditions till further order.
"As a precautionary measure, DGCA is also reviewing the necessity of curtailing helicopter operations to Char Dham, if required," the DGCA said.
On Monday, the DGCA said, two helicopter operators conducting shuttle and charter services to Kedarnath from their respective helipads failed to adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs), particularly regarding proper helicopter parking.
"As a result, swift action was taken, and their operations were suspended for two hours," it said.
According to the regulator, any deviation from the SOPs by helicopter operators is detected in real time, which allows immediate corrective measures.
Emphasising that it has a "zero tolerance" policy for safety violations, the regulator said in its latest enforcement action the operations of Kestrel Aviation Pvt Ltd in Uttarakhand has been suspended with immediate effect, pending investigation.
This is further to suspension of operations of another operator for safety violations in May, it said, without naming the operator.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Time of India
Aircraft forced to land further on Nagpur runway due to buildings violating height norms
Nagpur: The aircraft landing at Nagpur airport have to touch down almost 450 metres from the starting point of the current runway, to ensure they are flying high enough to pass above some buildings on the flight path that have violated height norms. The presence of buildings that may pose an obstruction on the flight path has led to the change in the touchdown point on the runway. Normally, flights touch down close to where the runway begins. At Nagpur, aircraft have to slow the descent for a certain distance even after it closes in on the airport. This changes the alignment with the runway, leading to the alteration of the landing point too, explained sources. Since the runway is 3,200 metres long, it is possible for the aircraft to skip landing right at the beginning, said sources. The long-term planning at the time of building the airport has helped. Because the runway has enough length, it is possible to alter the landing point. It may have been difficult on a runway of less than 3,000 metres length, said a source. This change was made over three years ago and remains there even as action against the building height violators is awaited. There are a number of buildings that have exceeded the stipulated height for structures near the airport. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like IQ Worldwide - Test your Intelligence, know your IQ Score Try Now Undo In some structures, add-ons like a water tank have led to height violations, said a source. Coming closer to the Nagpur airport, the planes begin descent from a height of 3,200 metres. They have to hold on the descent for some distance so that the plane flies over the buildings that pose an obstruction. In turn, the aircraft has to land a little further on the runway. At Nagpur, over 60 buildings around the airport violate the height norms. Mihan India Limited, the airport operator, has sent notices to the owners, and now the ball is in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) court. According to the Aircraft (Demolition of Obstruction Rules), only the DGCA has the power to bring down the structures. A hearing was held over a year ago, but MIL awaits a final decision from DGCA. A review meeting to assess the situation was held on Friday. It was part of the periodic review of structures done by Airports Authority of India (AAI), a source said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Mock exercise conducted at Jeypore airport
Koraput: As part of the mandatory safety preparedness protocol and in compliance with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) guidelines, a full-scale emergency mock exercise was conducted at Jeypore airport on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The aim was to assess the airports emergency response capabilities, inter-agency co-ordination, communication efficiency, resource deployment, and effectiveness of the airport emergency plan (AEP), said Abakash Parida, airport director. Such mock drills are held once every two years to ensure all stakeholders are prepared to handle real-time emergencies, he added. According to Parida, the scenario simulated a crash of an aircraft on the airport premises. The airports fire and rescue team was the first to respond followed by reinforcement from the city fire services and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF). The joint teams worked in tandem to extinguish the simulated fire and carry out rescue operations. A triage area was set up by the medical team to assess and classify victims based on the severity of injuries. Minor injuries were treated on-site while seriously injured persons and casualties were promptly transported to the district headquarters hospital through ambulances, said Parida. During the mock exercise, police played a critical role in crowd control, managing relatives of the passengers, and facilitating a green corridor for seamless ambulance movement. Following the drill, a debriefing session was held with all participating agencies to analyse the operations and identify any gaps or shortcomings in the rescue process. The mock exercise was conducted in a well-coordinated manner, demonstrating strong collaboration among the airport authorities, emergency responders, and local administration, said Parida.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Airlines instructed to prevent unauthorised carriage of live animals into India
In a bid to prevent the unauthorised carriage of live animals into India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued fresh guidelines to airlines operators, official sources said on Friday (July 25, 2025). Amid multiple instances reported by airlines regarding the carriage of live animals into India by passengers without proper declaration or clearance, classified as unbeknownst imports, the DGCA asked the operators to devise strategies to detect and deter the violation of deportation conditions. Going by rules laid down by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services and Indian Customs, such animals were subject to immediate deportation to their country of origin, with appropriate intimation to concerned stakeholders and authorities in that country. Though the carriage of animals/birds by air was governed by the Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) of 1985, the DGCA's advisory intended to further guide and ensure compliance with the latest instructions/orders of the Indian Customs and other law-enforcing agencies and facilitate the safe and legally compliant deportation animals by all aircraft operators/airlines operating in India. Responsibility of airlines The aviation regulator said in case of detection of any unbeknownst imports of live animals into India, the concerned airline would be responsible for their immediate deportation. 'The airline that transported the undeclared live animals shall be solely responsible for deportation in accordance with applicable laws. All costs associated with deportation, including animal handling, in-transit welfare, documentation, and repatriation logistics shall be borne by the airline,' the advisory said. As part of the preventive measures, the operators were advised to make sure that the employees deployed at check-in counters, boarding gates and in-flight operations were adequately trained and sensitised on customs and quarantine rules and regulations pertaining to transport of live animals. Passenger advisories and signage regarding restrictions on import of live animals should be displayed prominently, the sources said.
