NEW DELHI: The aviation regulator’s recent clampdown on unsafe flying practices seems to be paying off. December 2019 was the first month since October 2016 when not a single instance of SOP violation by an Indian carrier pilot requiring action was reported.
“There was no incident or accident last month that required action to be taken against pilot. This was a first in 37 months despite the fleet size of Indian carriers increasing significantly in that time frame,” Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Arun Kumar said.
The number of incidents requiring action against pilots had peaked mid-2019 due to a sharp rise in cases of runway incursions and aircraft skidding off runways during monsoon. The regulator then audited airlines which saw maximum number of these incidents and ordered action against many carriers’ operational heads and pilots involved in these cases.
