IndiGo's FIRST reaction as DGCA issues show cause notice over ‘lapses' in simulator training to 1,700 pilots

Mint

a day ago

IndiGo confirmed receiving a show-cause notice from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for alleged lapses in simulator training conducted for nearly 1,700 pilots and said it is reviewing it.
In its first reaction to the show-cause notice, IndiGo's Spokesperson said, 'We confirm receipt of a show-cause notice issued by the DGCA pertaining to the simulator training of some of our pilots. We are in the process of reviewing the same and will respond to the regulator within the stipulated timeline.'
'We remain committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety and compliance across our operations,' the airline added.
According to news agency PTI, the show cause notice was issued after the airline's records and replies were scrutinised last month.
The DGCA found that Category C or critical airfield training for around 1,700 pilots, including pilots in command and first officers, was conducted with non-qualified simulators, the PTI sources said.
New agency, PTI, citing sources, said that the regulator found that the simulators on which the nearly 1,700 pilots trained were not qualified for operations at certain airports, such as Calicut, Leh, and Kathmandu.
Certain airports, like Calicut, which has a table-top runway, have additional requirements for flight operations.
DGCA found 263 lapses in aviation safety norms during its 23 audits of eight domestic airlines in the past year, PTI quoted a DGCA statement as saying on Wednesday.
However, the DGCA noted that a higher number of audit findings or lapses for airlines with extensive operations is 'entirely normal'. The regulator flagged increased lapses during audits of Air India.
According to the DGCA, in the past year, 93 audit findings involved Tata Group-owned Air India (along with now-merged Vistara) and Air India Express. These include 19 level-1 violations, which are considered critical safety risks and require immediate corrective action by the airline.
The DGCA also encountered as many as 100 violations and observations related to Air India's training, crew rest, and duty period norms, and airfield qualification, PTI quoted the sources as saying on Tuesday.
They added that the DGCA mentioned these violations in 51 audit findings of Air India.