3 airports to get DGCA licence

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation, which is monitoring individual airports' adherence to safety standards, is in the process of issuing licences to three airports based on their security compliance, after granting similar licences the Delhi and Mumbai airports.

"The Airports Authority of India has submitted applications for (airports at) Kolkata, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram. The paper work is on... We are inspecting these airports as part of the due process to grant them licences," DGCA Director-General Kanu Gohain said on the sidelines of a conference on helicopters' safety here today.

Under the new international aviation standards, individual airports have to avail of licences on the basis of maintaining safety and security standards. Gohain said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) also audits airports and related facilities and that "India had last year got the top most level of 'A' audit grade. We want to maintain that this year as well."

To questions on increasing the number of flying hours for pilots from 1,000 to 1,200 hours per annum to improve productivity, he said, "we will take a concerted view" only after the proposal is made.

"We will have to keep in mind international practices relating to flight duty time limitation (FDTL) as also the fatigue factor. But modern aircraft are also easier to operate," Gohain said, adding that the decision would be taken after consultations with global bodies like the ICAO.

The FDTL regulations govern pilots' hours of work among other things and have been an issue between pilots' unions and airlines the world over.

In an effort to ensure proper flying training for issue of pilot licences, Gohain said new civil aviation requirements had been issued to lay down stringent guidelines for flight-training institutes.

Prior approval of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) would have to be taken if foreign investment were planned for setting up such institutions in the country.

Besides, such institutes would need approvals for import of aircraft, simulators and would have to manage adequate space for hangars, parking bays and taxi tracks, apart from classrooms.

On the issue of shortage of pilots, the DGCA said besides increasing the retirement age from 60 to 65 years, licences of foreign pilots were being validated after various regulatory tests and proficiency exams. Gohain said fresh guidelines were being issued for operational safety of helicopters in the country.

The DGCA, he said, would take "stern action" against breaking of rules by helicopter pilots.

A large number of such instances occurred due to pressure on pilots by VIP passengers, particularly during election campaign time.

India has a total of 140 helicopters in civil operation, constituting a mere 0.5 per cent of the total choppers in the world. The US, on the other hand, has over 12,000 "" almost half of the world's helicopters.