Page 5 - Civil Aviation Ministry

Aviation ministry, DGCA to look into ex-pilot's complaint against Air India

The civil aviation ministry and the DGCA will look into a complaint filed against Air India by a former senior pilot alleging that the airline operated Boeing 777 planes to the US without having the required system of emergency oxygen supply, according to sources. The pilot, who had served as a B777 commander, complained about the practice to the ministry and the DGCA on October 29. According to the sources, the pilot, in the complaint, said Air India has been operating flights with leased B777 aircraft that carry a chemically-generated oxygen system which lasts around 12 minutes, and hence should not be used for the airline's direct flights to and from San Francisco. The airline has to factor in that in case of an emergency situation of depressurisation, there should be sufficient oxygen supply to all the crew and the passengers for any period that is more than 12 minutes, the complaint said and also referred to the DGCA norms. A senior government official on Friday said the minis

House panel again asks aviation min about value of A-I disinvestment

A Parliamentary panel on Thursday again asked the civil aviation ministry to explain about how the enterprise valuation of Rs 18,000 crore was arrived for the disinvestment of Air India that was completed in January last year. The matter has been mentioned by the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture in its report tabled in the Rajya Sabha. The report pertains to the action taken by the government on the recommendations/observations of the committee in the report on Demands for Grants (2023-24) of the civil aviation ministry. Tata Group's Talace Pvt Ltd has acquired Air India, Air India Express and a 50 per cent stake in Air India Airport Services Pvt Ltd (AISATS) through the disinvestment process. "The committee notes that the Enterprise Valuation method was adopted for inviting bids for disinvestment of Air India, which afforded the prospective bidders an opportunity to resize the balance sheet. The committee would like to know as t

DGCA implements new rules for powered hang gliders to enhance safety

On October 7, an infiltrator of Hamas, a terror group, used a motorised hang glider to enter Israel

Govt amends aircraft rules; commercial pilot license to be valid for 10 yrs

Commercial pilot licenses will now be valid for ten years, with the government amending rules as part of efforts to further improve ease of doing business in the aviation sector. Till now, the validity of Commercial Pilot License (CPL) was for five years and after completion of that period, it had to be renewed. The civil aviation ministry amended the Aircraft Rules, 1937. Among various changes made, the validity of licenses in relation to Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) and CPL holders has been increased from five years to ten years. "This change is expected to reduce administrative burden on pilots and aviation authorities like DGCA, promoting a more streamlined and efficient licensing process," the ministry said in a statement on Monday. Besides, rules have been amended to address concerns related to the display of lights in the vicinity of an aerodrome. It has also been clarified that the term 'light' encompasses lantern lights, wish kites, and laser lights. Also, the

On-time performance of all Indian carriers falls in September, shows data

An airline executive mentioned that key cities like Delhi and Mumbai experienced heavy rainfall on certain days in September, compelling the airlines to either cancel or postpone flights

90% of our MRO expenses directed to foreign firms: IndiGo to MoCA

Reach out to aircraft equipment makers to set up MROs in India: IndiGo to govt

3 new air routes to become operationalise in Arunachal in October: Scindia

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday announced that three new air routes would be operationalised in Arunachal Pradesh by October this year. Inaugurating the newly-developed infrastructure at the Tezu Airport in Lohit district of the northeastern state, Scindia said that under the Centre's UDAN-5 scheme, new flight services would begin between Itanagar and New Delhi from Donyi Polo Airport at Hollongi near here, besides a service between Itanagar and Jorhat in Assam and between Ruksin in East Siang district and Itanagar. Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAAN) is a regional connectivity scheme aimed at developing smaller regional airports to allow common citizens easier access to aviation services. Tezu airport is the fourth in the state after Donyi Polo, Pasighat and Ziro airports and 17th in the northeast. The minister said that in the last 65 years, there were only 74 airports in the country but in the last nine years of BJP government rule at the Centre, 75 new airpor

Not against DGCA or MoCA, want clarity on pilots' notice period: Akasa Air

The airline has faced heat following the abrupt exit of its 43 pilots who did not serve their mandatory notice periods

Resignations have no impact on expansion, more pilots joining: Akasa CEO

Promoted by family of the late investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Akasa is planning to add more aircraft to its fleet and take it to 28 by March 2024 and add 10-12 planes every year for the next few years

DGCA is issuing pilot licenses within indicative timeline, MoCA clarifies

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday said the DGCA is meeting the indicative timelines for the issuance of pilot licences despite an increase in the number of applications. "It is clarified that the application processing time may vary depending upon the complexity and completeness of the application submitted. The indicative timelines published for Issue & Conversion of Commercial Pilot License (CPL) by DGCA is 20 & 30 working days respectively," it said in a statement. According to the ministry, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been meeting the indicative timelines despite an increase in number of applications. "Average timelines achieved for applications during 2023 for CPL Issue & Conversion is 22 and 31 working days". The total number of CPLs issued in 2022 was the highest in the last decade and this number has already been surpassed in September 2023, it added. Further, the statement said the number of CPLs issued is likely to be the ...

Aviation ministry permits Akasa Air to launch international flights

The young airline, which is facing pilot exits, is yet to announce its first international destination

Private jet veers off runway in Mumbai causing more than 100 flight delays

The runway was closed for almost two hours and reopened after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation gave clearance following safety checks, a representative for the airport said

Amid lean season, average daily domestic air traffic rises 2.25% in August

After Go First suspended all flights from 3 May onwards, its passenger traffic shifted to other carriers, helping them achieve load factors of 90 per cent or higher in May and June

India to have 425 million air passengers by 2035: Jyotiraditya Scindia

India is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current level of 14.5 crore and that is the growth potential that international players can look at, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday. The minister also said that the regional air connectivity has democratised civil aviation and has spawned four regional carriers. He highlighted the growth potential of the country's civil aviation sector and urged international players to "look at India". He was speaking at the International Aerospace Conference in Gwalior organised by industry body CII. According to him, the country is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current 14.5 crore passengers. In July, domestic air traffic surged 25 per cent to 1.21 crore passengers compared to the year-ago period, as per official data. It is "imperative" to grow civil aviation as a service as well as a product, Scindia said and stressed that it is time for aerospace players to supplant

India, New Zealand schedule new routes and increase capacity for air travel

The two countries have signed an MoU to increase cooperation in civil aviation during Minister Damien O'Connor visit to India

As air-traffic zooms, Indian airports need thousands more staff, says study

A total of 3,800 more Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and 440 more immigration staff is required to cater to just eight airports

Go first bump subsides: Airline average daily load factor below 90% in July

The average daily domestic passengers handled by the carriers in July fell by 5.6 per cent month-on-month to 393,990

Centre announces measures to tackle airport congestion ahead of festivals

The issue of congestion at the major airports was witnessed in the last year's festive season leading to longer waiting times at various airports

CAT tells Centre to reconsider DGCA ex-officer's claim for promotion to DG

The Central Administrative Tribunal has questioned the decision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to deny J S Rawat, now retired, promotion to the post of Director General of Civil Aviation since 2013. The tribunal has directed the ministry, under which the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) functions, to place Rawat's case before the selection committee for consideration from the date when he became eligible for promotion. In its order dated July 14, the tribunal stated, "If he is otherwise found suitable...he shall be given promotion along with all consequential benefits. It is clarified that since the applicant has not shouldered the responsibility of the next higher post, he is not entitled for monetary benefits. His benefits shall be calculated on notional basis." After his retirement in 2019 as a Joint DG, Rawat approached the tribunal alleging that the government flouted norms to deny him promotion to the post of DG, which is a highly technical post, since 2013 and

7 Adani-run airports in India handled 103% more passengers in FY23

The group runs airports in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram