Remove DGCA’s power to suspend pilots: Online plea

Mumbai: A senior pilot has filed an online petition on Thursday demanding that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DCGA)’s power to suspend a pilot’s licence for any period of time should be removed.
The petition, ‘Remove DGCA’s sweeping powers for pilot’s suspension’, has been put up on change.org by Capt Amit Singh. The petition says that licenses should be suspended only in cases of “gross negligence, wilful violations and destructive acts’.
Under the current provisions of Indian Aircraft Rules, 1937, Rule 19 (3), a pilot’s license can be suspended for any period of time if “the central government (the director-general in this case) is satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to do so”.
The petition says that the provision should be amended such that a license is suspended only “if the preliminary or final investigation finds sufficient evidence of gross negligence or wilful violations”. In case the preliminary investigation is not complete, the period of suspension should be limited to 90 days, the online petition said.