Latest news with #CivilAviationMinistry
India.com
7 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Pilots Urge Centre To Induct More Experts For Probe Into Air India Boeing Crash
New Delhi: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Thursday in a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry have stated that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has failed to sufficiently consider two plausible and previously documented technical scenarios, either of which could have triggered an automated shutdown of both engines of the ill-fated Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The association has urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to include more subject matter experts in the investigation. The pilots' association has alleged that the preliminary report appears to infer or suggest the possibility of pilot error, without presenting any conclusive evidence or exploring well-documented technical failure modes previously observed in a similar aircraft. The letter also alleges that this is not the first time that systemic failures within Boeing aircraft have initially been attributed to pilot error or suicidal intent, only to be disproven by subsequent investigations. The letter states that to prematurely and indirectly suggest pilot error in the preliminary report of the Al-171 crash, without thorough validation or elimination of these known technical pathways, risks not only misplaced blame but repeating past investigative failures. The FIP has called for a reassessment of the role of mechanical faults, based on available data from the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, as well as previous Boeing bulletins. The pilots' association has objected to the various interpretations of the probe, and alleged that the report relied selectively on paraphrased cockpit voice recordings to "suggest pilot error". The report also mentioned a conversation between the two pilots in the cockpit of the plane. One pilot asked, 'Why did you cut off?', and the other responded, 'I did not do so". The association has sought inclusion of airline pilot representatives in the investigation and called for a thorough investigation before "assigning blame". Meanwhile, pilots' grouping ALPA-India on Thursday said the crew of the crashed AI-171 flight made every possible effort to protect the passengers onboard and they deserve respect, not unfounded character judgements. "The crew of AI-171 made every possible effort -- till their very last breath -- to protect the passengers on board and minimise harm on the ground. They deserve respect, not unfounded character judgments," ALPA India said in a statement. 'We reiterate our call for a fact-based and respectful discourse," the association said.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Can't draw conclusions based on pilots' conversation: Mohol on AI crash report
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Saturday said no conclusions could be drawn yet from the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, noting that the conversation between the pilots was too brief to determine responsibility. Mohol said the AAIB, an autonomous agency under the Civil Aviation Ministry, had submitted its initial findings within a month of the crash. He stressed that the investigation was still ongoing. (HT) The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner had crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad moments after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 people onboard and 19 on the ground. Mohol said the AAIB, an autonomous agency under the Civil Aviation Ministry, had submitted its initial findings within a month of the crash. He stressed that the investigation was still ongoing. 'This is only a preliminary report. The AAIB has made some initial observations, which will be examined further. We cannot draw any conclusions from the cockpit conversation between the pilots, as it is very brief,' Mohol said. According to the 15-page preliminary report, both engines lost fuel supply within a second of each other shortly after takeoff, leading to confusion in the cockpit. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other 'why he had cut off the fuel'—an action the other reportedly denied. Responding to questions about this exchange, Mohol said, 'Yes, the report mentions it, but it's too early to draw conclusions. The AAIB itself has stated that this is an initial report and that further investigation is needed.' He also noted that earlier, black boxes had to be sent abroad for analysis, which delayed investigations. 'Now, we can carry out such inquiries within the country. The AAIB is doing a commendable job, and there is no interference from the ministry in its functioning,' he added.
India Today
12-07-2025
- General
- India Today
Seconds before Mayday, Air India fuel switches turned back from 'cutoff' to 'run'
Thirteen seconds before Air Traffic Control received the 'MAYDAY' call from the Ahmedabad-London AI171 Dreamliner on the day of the crash, June 12, a preliminary probe by the Civil Aviation Ministry revealed that the fuel control switches were being transitioned back from 'CUTOFF' (fuel stopped) to 'RUN' (fuel flowing).According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), both engines of the ill-fated aircraft experienced a momentary recovery after an initial loss of thrust, but ultimately failed to stabilise. The crash ultimately led to the deaths of 260 the first engine's core deceleration stopped, reversed, and began to recover, the second engine could not arrest its deceleration, according to the AAIB's report released today, a month after the crash. According to the recording from the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) accessed by AAIB, the Civil Aviation Ministry's investigative arm revealed that the fuel cutoff switch of the first engine transitioned from "CUTOFF" to "RUN" at about 08:08:52 seconds later, the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) inlet door began to open during takeoff, which could disrupt airflow, according to several experts. The APU provides electrical and pneumatic power while the aircraft is on the ground, and occasionally in the two seconds, the Engine 2 fuel cutoff switch also transitioned from "CUTOFF" to "RUN."Engine 1's core deceleration stopped, reversed and started to progress to recovery, according to the preliminary probe 2 was able to relight but could not arrest core speed deceleration and re-introduced fuel repeatedly to increase core speed acceleration and recovery, the report further stated.- Ends
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Before Air India crash report comes, we must look into the new aviation rules
Written by Lakshita Handa and Pragya Singh In light of the tragic flight crash in Ahmedabad earlier last month – the Air India crash report is about to come — the issue of infrastructural safety in and around airports has once again been brought to the fore. While the crash has raised larger questions of aeroplane safety protocol and technical compliance, it serves as an important reminder to decongest and remove physical obstructions near airports. In light of this, the Civil Aviation Ministry has put out the Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees, etc.) Rules, 2025, in the public domain for comments. These Draft Rules, notified on June 18, 2025, under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (2024 Act), are currently open to public comments for a 21-day period. Notably, the Draft Rules replace the Aircraft (Demolition of obstructions caused by Buildings and Trees, etc.) Rules, 1994 (1994 Rules), which were also formulated to address the issue of obstruction in aerodrome areas. The 1994 Rules empowered a Joint Director General or a Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation to order the demolition of a building or the cutting of a tree, particularly where such a building or tree exceeded the stipulated height. The 1994 Rules allowed an aggrieved person, affected by such an order, to make an appeal to the Director General of Civil Aviation, whilst placing an obligation on the concerned person to comply with the order within a 60-day period. They also stated that in the event of a failure to comply with the order, the requisite action could be carried out by the District Collector. In contrast to the 1994 Rules, the Draft Rules enable authorities to take prompt action against buildings or structures that exceed the prescribed height in designated aerodrome zones. This includes empowering officers with the legal authority to issue notices, conduct physical on-site verifications during daylight hours and escalate non-compliant structures for demolition. Under the Rules, owners notified to modify or demolish their structures will be required to submit structural details within 60 days. Where such a building, tree or structure is found to violate safety norms, the Director General of Civil Aviation may order its demolition, trimming or reduction in height. All in all, the process will mirror the process used for removing unauthorised constructions. It is further clarified that compensation under Section 22 of the 2024 Act will only be available to those who comply with official orders. However, any unauthorised structures constructed after the notification date will not be entitled to such compensation. Despite the significant impact that such Draft Rules will have on the infrastructure surrounding the airports across the country, they do not factor in guidelines pertaining to due process, notice and show cause laid down by the Supreme Court of India in In Re: Directions in the matter of demolition of structures. The short period of 21 days for receiving public comments on the Draft Rules also signifies a reactive tilt to the policy-making process. The US President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism, in their 1990 report, harshly criticised the Federal Aviation Administration for being 'far too reactive to problems instead of anticipating them'. The field of civil aviation is particularly susceptible to a model of regulation driven by crises. However, any regulation in this field has the capacity to affect human lives on a massive scale, as well as have enormous economic repercussions for the State. Civil aviation policies should be drafted based on meticulous research and be adaptable. Factors such as risk and safety management, technological advancements, sustainability, public health, security and international standards should be accounted for in the policy-making process. As these policies have a considerable impact on the public, thorough public consultation at various stages of drafting should be undertaken to maintain transparency. Lastly, the policies should have resilience as their core metric to ensure that the laws and regulations drafted not only address the issues based on the evidence of the past but can also be future-facing and dynamic. Whatever the Air India crash report might indicate, this should be the objective. The authors are Senior Resident Fellows at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. Views are personal
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Union Government to start accepting Haj applications for 2026 from next week
Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Friday (July 4, 2025) said that the government will start accepting applications for Haj-2026, within a week. Terming the management of Haj 2025 as historic, Mr. Rijiju said that 'it was one of the most successful ever'. Highlighting that the fatality rate has gone down to 64 this year from 220 in 2024, the Minister also gave credit of Haj's success to the External Affairs Ministry, Civil Aviation Ministry and the Health Ministry. Speaking to the press after participating in the Haj review meeting, held at Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi on Friday (July 04, 2025), Mr. Rijiju added that the government was planning to build on this success to ensure an even more seamless experience in 2026. He requested all the applicants to fill up the form and apply within the allocated time frame. He also directed the Haj Committee of India to deposit the payment to the Saudi Arabian government before the deadline. Officials from the Ministry informed that a companion was mandatory to look after pilgrims above 65 years of age who wish to take the Haj. They added that the government was considering the request for separate accommodations for men and women.
