India’s aviation regulator has been carrying out spot checks following multiple instances of mid-air scare caused by technical glitches
These surprise inspections have revealed that airlines may have been hushing up things, besides battling a shortage of qualified manpower, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has said.
“The spot-checks carried by the DGCA have indicated improper identification of the cause of the defect, the increased trend of MEL (minimum equipment list) releases, non-availability of required certifying staff at short intervals for multiple scheduled arrivals/departures,” the aviation watchdog’s order released yesterday has said.
The order has told airlines that aircraft parked at their respective bases and transit stations will be released only on authorisation by licensed staff. The regulator has set a deadline of July 28 for this.
The latest development comes amid several incidents of air safety in the Indian skies. The frequency of such accidents in the past month has made flyers sceptical.