No more hot air
Times of India's Edit Page team comprises senior journalists with wide-ranging interests who debate and opine on the news and issues of the day.
DGCA waking up to aviation safety won't change much unless audit is unsparing & findings are made public
Nothing shows more starkly why nothing should be taken for granted than aviation regulator DGCA's 'comprehensive safety audit' – a 360-degree evaluation of the sector's safety, ops and regulatory compliance. Flyers assume such a periodic 360-degree audit and assessments are at the core of DGCA's raison d'etre. Apparently not. Airlines' and chopper operators' audits have been carried out in silos. And compliance of aviation's safety rules have been hostage to airlines' cutting corners to keep losses in check and profits intact, coupled with a crippling shortage of suitably trained inspectors at DGCA's multiple operations' wings. Plus, allround graft, including in the running of flying training schools.
Commercial flying is a multitude of operations demanding high skill, high training and plenty of rest – it is only when every small part works in unison can flight safety be guaranteed. Take something as routine as oxygen on board. A Lok Sabha response mentioned a Nov 2022 Air India B737 Bombay-Bengaluru-San Francisco flight that was fined ₹1.10cr for insufficient oxygen on board. The penalty order came a year later on Jan 24, 2024. On July 9, 2024, in a 'serious scheduling incident' on a Delhi-Riyadh flight, a trainee first officer was paired with a non-trainer pilot, against basic norms – AI was fined ₹90L. It's not a moment too soon that three AI senior officials were removed from their posts for a series of lapses.
A constant stream of 'accidents' – from unlawful entry into the cockpit to under-trained and fatigued pilots, from poor maintenance to inspection staff shortage – has the aviation sector glitching. There have been calls that DGCA may want to bring in third party auditors since a key operational audit would be to identify the safety watchdog's own weaknesses and gaps in protocol, staffing and service. Finally, findings of the audit must be made public – to reassure those who actually buy air tickets and keep the business running.
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This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
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