To enhance aviation safety in the aftermath of the Mangalore air crash, the Indian government has set a deadline of June next year for licensing of all airports across the country and directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to set up a separate aerodrome directorate under it.
These were among a series of decisions taken by the high level Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC), which met in New Delhi earlier this week. CASAC is headed by SNA Zaidi, Chief, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
At the meeting held in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, it was also reported that all 11 airports, designated as ‘critical’, have been inspected and their operators directed to comply with safety regulations. These airports are Agartala, Calicut, Jammu, Kullu, Latur, Leh, Lengpui, Mangalore, Patna, Port Blair and Shimla.
The CASAC also recommended barring pilots, who have tested positive in breath analyser (BA) tests, from becoming Training Captains. It also decided that those Training Captains, having positive BA reports, should be debarred from their positions for three years.
The system of receiving monthly reports of BA tests has already been introduced. Under it, licenses of pilots are suspended for three months on first BA positive report and cancelled in second such instance.
The CASAC recommended detailed regulations for temporary authorisation of foreign aircrew, including carrying out detailed background checks and medical standards.
A special drive for licensing of all airports was already underway. While licensing of 16 airports would be completed by November 30, 2010, 29 airports by December end this year and the rest before June 30, 2011, an official spokesperson said.
In another significant move, the CASAC decided that a Board be set up by DGCA for initial approval, renewal and proficiency of Training Captains and it should also include independent experts.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) decision to issue licenses for Air Traffic Control Officers was also in the process of being finalised, with the Law Ministry vetting the proposal.
Regarding the inspection of critical airports, technical teams surveyed their runway conditions, carried out friction tests, checked markings, various navigational aids and radars and locations of precision approach instruments and Runway End Safety Arrangement (RESA) requirements, informed the spokesperson.