- DGCA announced new safety rules for non-scheduled operators after a rise in accidents
- Key causes of accidents include non-adherence to procedures, poor flight planning, and training gaps
- Stricter penalties introduced for flight duty violations and unsafe landing attempts
The civil aviation regulator DGCA announced a series of safety measures for non-scheduled operators (NSOPs) following a high-level meeting to address a recent surge in aviation incidents. The meeting with all non-scheduled operators followed after a comprehensive review of accident data from the past decade.
The analysis identified non-adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), inadequate flight planning, and training deficiencies as the primary contributing factors in aircraft accidents within the sector.
A Red Bird Airways-operated air ambulance crashed in Jharkhand on Monday, killing all seven on board. In January, a VSR Ventures-owned aircraft also crashed in Maharashtra's Baramati, leaving all on board dead including NCP leader Ajit Pawar.
India has seen multiple chopper crashes, including those operating in the Char Dham sector. All of them involved NSOPs.
Safety Over Commercial Pressure
Emphasising a zero-tolerance approach toward safety violations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that safety considerations must take precedence over all commercial interests, including charter commitments and VIP movements.
The regulator reaffirmed that the pilot-in-command's decision to divert, delay, or cancel a flight on safety grounds is final and must be respected by operators without any commercial consequences.
As part of enhanced oversight, the DGCA announced mandatory public disclosure of safety-critical information by NSOPs. Operators will now be required to publish details such as aircraft age, maintenance history, and pilot experience on their websites to ensure greater transparency for customers.
The regulator plans to introduce a safety ranking system for all non-scheduled operators, with rankings and evaluation criteria to be published on the DGCA website. Additionally, intensified audits will be carried out, including random cockpit voice recorder (CVR) checks and fuel records, and technical logs to detect unauthorised operations or data falsification.
In a significant move to strengthen accountability, the DGCA stated that senior management and accountable managers would be held personally responsible for systemic non-compliances, making it clear that safety lapses cannot be attributed solely to pilots.
The new measures include stricter penalties for violations of flight duty time limitations (FDTL) and attempts to land below prescribed safety minima. Such violations could lead to pilot licence suspensions of up to five years, while non-compliant operators may face penalties or suspension of licences and permits.
The DGCA also announced enhanced monitoring of older aircraft and operators undergoing ownership changes. Operators with inadequate in-house maintenance facilities will be required to outsource maintenance to approved maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) organisations.
Highlighting that many weather-related accidents stem from poor judgment rather than unpredictability, the regulator mandated real-time weather update systems and recurrent pilot training with increased focus on weather awareness and decision-making in uncontrolled environments.
The DGCA confirmed that Phase-1 of a special safety audit of NSOPs is nearing completion, with Phase-2 to cover the remaining operators in early March. A physical safety workshop will also be organised following the audits to ensure alignment of all stakeholders with the new operational mandates.
