After multiple technical snags, DGCA begins 2-month-long special audit of airlines

DGCA has started a 2-month-long special audit of airlines after multiple technical snags were reported in Indian carriers, reports PTI.

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Since there have been multiple incidents of technical snags in Indian carriers, aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started a 2-month-long special audit of airlines. Earlier this month, the DGCA held spot checks which found that insufficient and unqualified engineering personnel are certifying carriers' planes before their departure. 

The DGCA conducted spot checks as there have been many technical malfunction incidents in Indian carriers' planes during the last 45 days. The focus of the aforementioned special audit will be on facilities like hangars and stores, equipment being used by airline personnel, airlines' quality assurance system, aircraft grounded due to lack of spare parts, and airlines' maintenance control centre, a DGCA order dated July 18 stated.

The special audit will also focus on the availability of "sufficient, suitably qualified and experienced" manpower, duty time limitations, availability of current maintenance data for all types of aircraft, adequacy of aircraft turn-around time during transit, and "multiple MEL releases", as per the order, which has been accessed by PTI.

"MEL (minimum equipment list) releases" means an aircraft is allowed to fly with certain inoperative equipment or instruments for a specific period, until the repairs are done. There have been reports of increased engineering-related occurrences in scheduled airlines in recent times," the order mentioned.

The order said the special audit of all scheduled airlines is starting from July 19 to ensure that they are adhering to the "laid down standards." The DGCA officials said the special audit will be completed within the next two months.

After conducting spot checks, the regulator had last week revealed its findings. The spot checks found that insufficient and unqualified engineering personnel are certifying planes of various carriers before their departure.

Before each departure, an aircraft is checked and certified by an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME). The spot checks found that the AME teams of airlines are improperly identifying the "cause of a reported defect", the DGCA said. They also found that there has been an "increasing trend of MEL (minimum equipment list) releases" of aircraft, it noted.

"It is also seen that airlines are resorting to frequent one-off authorization to Category A certifying staff at transit stations which is not in line with existing regulatory provisions," it mentioned. The engineering head of one of the Indian airlines explained that a Category A engineer is called a 'limited scope engineer', and he or she is allowed to certify and release planes for departures only when the aircraft does not have any complex defect.

Therefore, the DGCA last week issued guidelines for airlines, asking them to deploy sufficient and qualified AME personnel, and directing them to comply by July 28. 

(With inputs from PTI)