Lok Sabha Question No. 735 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-28
Subject: Safety Audit of Airlines
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: ANURAG SINGH THAKUR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIE AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.

735 (To be answered on the 28th April 20i6)

## SAFETY AUDIT OF AIRLINES

735.

SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (anwhetheetthe Directorate General %f Civil Aviation (DGCA) has completed the annual #udit of all airlines in 2014-15 to ensure airworthiness of aircraft; flight etc;; safety safety,
- (b) if s0, the details thereof with the shortcomings noticed during the said safety audit;airline-wise; along
- airline-wise; noticed,
- (e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure air safety?
- re)schethee those shortcomings have been rectified by the airlines and if not, the reasons therefor; and

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Dr Mahesh Sharma)

S2) and () DGCA conducts Regulatory Audits every year as per Annual total of 09 Regulatory Audits on scheduled airlines:

(e) The steps

() and () The detaiis %f the last audit %f the airlines by DGCA and the salient observations are enclosed as Appendix "A ". The observation deficiencies observed the audit were forwarded to the concerned operator for the compliance of deficiencies. The Action Taken Reports were reviewed by DGCA for the appropriateness of the corrective actions. during

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## Hazardous Incidents:

Safety recommendations emanating from investigation of various aircraft accidents and incidents are followed up for implementation with the concerned agencies so as to prevent recurrence of similar accidentslincidents\_ A Standing Corrittee headed by DGCA periodically monitors the progress of implementation of thee reccmmendations made by various Courts/Committees of Inquiries.

Safety  seminars are organized by DCCA to  create   safety awareness  amongst the operators Further; periodical meetings with pilots, engineers, ATCOs and operators are also convened from time to time:

Accidents are regularly analyzed and based on these analysis Air Safety Circulars are issued to bring important   observationslfindings to the notice to avoid the recurrence of the accidents. Safety  precautions also are circulated through the Air  Safety Circulars. Whenever requirement is felt regulatory changes are done by issuing Civil Aviation Requirements: Reguirement for VIP   carriage, Flight  Duty Time Limitations etc: are being  revised. Requirerents covering training and operations of the Helicopter for various operators has since been issued.

The Flight Inspector pilots of DGCA carryout periodic proficiency and standardization checks of pilots of various operators to ensure that laid down operating procedures are followed:

Regulatory Audit teams of DGCA carry out periodically regulatory audit of   operators and maintenance   orgariizaticns. The deficiencies   pointed out in the  regulatory audit   reports   are immediately brought to the notice of the operators for taking necessary remedial in-house measures: stressed that operators should also conduct their internal aucit apart from DGCA regulatory audit

## Periodic Spot Checks:

Periodic; spot  checks on1 the operations and maintenance activities of the operators have been intensified by DGCA oficers to ensure observance of the laid down procedures

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## Special Operating Precautions\_in Poor Weather\_Conditiong:

Operators and Airport authorities have been advised to take specific   actions   during periods of monsoon and Airline are subjected special checks to ensure their proficiency in monsoon conditions pilots fog:

## Ainworthiness Contro n Aqeing Aircratt:

Measures have been taken for effective  airworthiness control on ageing  aircraft by stipulating additional requirements like restricting certificate of Airworthiness validity to 6 months for aircraft over 20 years age and reducing to 80% the periodicity of the inspection schedules, and restricting maximum life of 15 years/45000 cycles, whichever is less, for import of aircraft by the operators.

## Prevention of Bird Strike Incidents:

Continuous efforts are being made in association with airport authorities and local civic authorities to take effective measures to reduce bird  strike menace. As a result, the numbers of bird  strike incidents have considerably reduced:

## Action against defaulters;

'

Whenever it is found that there is gross violation of the laid down norms or compromise of safety, strict action is taken against the defaulters.

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## Specific Steps\_taken by DGCA for Accident Prevention

100% Monitoring of Flight Data Recorders: DGCA through Civil Aviation Requirement has made mandatory for all Scheduled Air Transport Operators and Major Non Scheduled operators having aircraft equipped with DFDR to monitor flight data of all the flights to determine the exceedances in flight parameters from stipulated limits. This is to ensure adherence to standard operating procedures by the flight crew.

Minimum Safe Altitude Warning System: Mirimum safe altitude warning (MSAW) system provides radar warning to the air traffic controllers whenever an aircraft descends below the minimum safe en-route altitude: The air traffic controller in turn alerts the pilot about his descent below the safe altitude. MSAW system has already been provided in the air traffic control (ATC) Radars at Mumbai and Delhi. Airports Authority of India is in the process of installing MSAW systems at other airports.

Installation of Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radars (MSSRs) Airports Authority of India (AAI) has since installed MSSRs at eight (8) airports in the country. Among other information, an MSSR provides aircraft altitude information to the air traffic controllers which enable him in improved air traffic management and surveillance. Because of the large areas covered by the MSSRs, most of the busy airspace in the country has core under the coverage of the MSSRs. This has enabled better surveillance of the flights in the Indian airspace.

Installation of Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirements making it mandatory for installation of Airborne Collision Avoidance System on airplane having maximum certified passenger seating configuration of more than 30 or a maximum pay load capacity of more than 3 tonnes. All applicable civil aircraft in India have ACAS installed and at the insistence of DGCA, foreign operators also have to utilize ACAS equipped for operation over Indian airspace:

## Installation of Transponders

Transponders A& C Type) provide traffic advisory in an aircraft fitted with ACAS-I and both traffic advisory and resolution advisory in an aircraft fitted with ACAS-II: Mode S Transponder is a reliable means for air space surveillance. It enhances the operation of Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) by adding a data link feature and interrogation capability over and above Mode AV Mode C Transponder operation which only determines aircraft altitude. Mode S transponder also provides traffic advisory in an aircraft fitted with ACAS-I and both traffic and resolutionary advisory in an aircraft fitted with ACAS-II:

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Installation of Ground Proximity Warning System: Installation of GPWS system has been made mandatory by DGCA on all piston-engine airplanes of maximum certified take-off mass in excess of 5700 kgs or type certified to carry more than nine passengers and on all turbine-engine aeroplanes as recommended by ICAO also. This equipment shall provide automatically a tirely and distinctive warning to the flight crew when the airplane is in potentially hazardous proximity to the earth's surface. .

Computerized monitoring of FDTL, Training, Medical& License validity All the airlines have been mandatorily made to computerize the records relating to Flight crew duty time Limitations, their training, and qualification, medical and license  validity. This has enabled instantaneous monitoring of crew records for their validity to operating flights: prior

Detailed requirements for compliance of ICAO Standards The standards & recommended practices of ICAO contained in their Annex-1 (Personnel Licensing), Annex-6 (Aircraft Operations) and Annex-8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft) have been reviewed and; Civil Aviation Requirements issued containing detailed requirements for compliance by the operators in compliance of ICAO standards.

- Training of Aviation Personnel: Under the Cooperative Development of Operational  Safety and Continuing Airworthiness (South

Asia) COSCAP (SA) various trainings for the aviation personnel were organised.

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