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Charkhi Dadri anniversary time to remember, for Govt time to forget: The Indian Express
New Delhi, Nov 13: Beginning November 27, a significant transition will take place in Indian airspace. Called implementation of Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM): this means that the separation between aircraft flying above 28,000 feet will be reduced from 2000 feet to 1000 feet.
New Delhi, Nov 13: Beginning November 27, a significant transition will take place in Indian airspace. Called implementation of Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM): this means that the separation between aircraft flying above 28,000 feet will be reduced from 2000 feet to 1000 feet.
The change reflects the latest trend in international aviation to accommodate more air traffic. This reduction of height also means a raising of the bar—in air traffic control management. And it’s here that Justice Lahoti comes in. Today is exactly seven years after the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision when a Kazakhstan IL-76 aircraft collided with a Saudi Arabian airline Boeing 747 at 14,000 feet. The Justice Lahoti Commission set up to probe the crash—that killed all 349 on board the two aircraft—came up with 15 recommendations. All were accepted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1997. But the key ones related to long-term reforms in air traffic control still gather dust:
The Commission had suggested that, like in many other countries, India should devise a scheme for issuing licences to air traffic controllers. This would ensure rigorous screening and monitoring of ATC staff. While Pakistan, too, has started a licensing system for controllers, India is yet to develop one.
Why? The reason Ministry officials trot out is: Justice Lahoti wanted licences for both civil and Air Force ATCs. In other words, the matter’s ‘‘pending’’ now with the Defence Ministry.
An ATC element should be incorporated at a senior level in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. This would help focus attention on the ATC-aspect of air safety.
The reason in this case for non-implementation is bureaucratic: officials say it’s linked to the ‘‘larger issue of restructuring the DGCA.’’
‘‘An adequately staffed Accident/Incident Prevention Directorate’’ within the DGCA which would work exclusively on strategies to raise safety levels and reduce risk. The Ministry says the ‘‘process for setting this up is still on.’’
But now that RVSM is being implemented, isn’t all this cause for alarm?. For, the root cause of the Charkhi Dadri disaster was ‘‘unauthorised descending by the Kazakh aircraft to 14,000 feet’’ when it was assigned 15000 feet.
‘‘Let us not link the two,’’ said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Rajiv Pratap Rudy. ‘‘We are aware of these issues and I am trying my best to expedite their implementation. They have not been implemented because several other ministries (Finance, Defence, Law) are involved. We are doing our best.’’
brRudy underlined the positives of RVSM saying that this is being implemented after consultations with ATC staff. ‘‘This will have a tremendous advantage by opening up air corridors. It must be looked positively as it has been implemented in other parts of the world.’’
The change reflects the latest trend in international aviation to accommodate more air traffic. This reduction of height also means a raising of the bar—in air traffic control management. And it’s here that Justice Lahoti comes in. Today is exactly seven years after the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision when a Kazakhstan IL-76 aircraft collided with a Saudi Arabian airline Boeing 747 at 14,000 feet. The Justice Lahoti Commission set up to probe the crash—that killed all 349 on board the two aircraft—came up with 15 recommendations. All were accepted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1997. But the key ones related to long-term reforms in air traffic control still gather dust:
The Commission had suggested that, like in many other countries, India should devise a scheme for issuing licences to air traffic controllers. This would ensure rigorous screening and monitoring of ATC staff. While Pakistan, too, has started a licensing system for controllers, India is yet to develop one.
Why? The reason Ministry officials trot out is: Justice Lahoti wanted licences for both civil and Air Force ATCs. In other words, the matter’s ‘‘pending’’ now with the Defence Ministry.
An ATC element should be incorporated at a senior level in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. This would help focus attention on the ATC-aspect of air safety.
The reason in this case for non-implementation is bureaucratic: officials say it’s linked to the ‘‘larger issue of restructuring the DGCA.’’
‘‘An adequately staffed Accident/Incident Prevention Directorate’’ within the DGCA which would work exclusively on strategies to raise safety levels and reduce risk. The Ministry says the ‘‘process for setting this up is still on.’’
But now that RVSM is being implemented, isn’t all this cause for alarm?. For, the root cause of the Charkhi Dadri disaster was ‘‘unauthorised descending by the Kazakh aircraft to 14,000 feet’’ when it was assigned 15000 feet.
‘‘Let us not link the two,’’ said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Rajiv Pratap Rudy. ‘‘We are aware of these issues and I am trying my best to expedite their implementation. They have not been implemented because several other ministries (Finance, Defence, Law) are involved. We are doing our best.’’
brRudy underlined the positives of RVSM saying that this is being implemented after consultations with ATC staff. ‘‘This will have a tremendous advantage by opening up air corridors. It must be looked positively as it has been implemented in other parts of the world.’’