Mumbai: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged multiple cases of repeated defects indicating ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action, during comprehensive surveillance at major airports including Delhi and Mumbai. The civil aviation regulator found defects in the aircraft’s maintenance, airport infrastructure and ground handling equipments.
Special DGCA Teams Conduct Night-Time Surveillance at Major Airports
The Free Press Journal had reported on Sunday about DGCA’s order to carry out a comprehensive special audit of aviation stakeholders across the sector to strengthen aviation safety. Following the order, two teams of the joint director general of DGCA carried out comprehensive surveillance during night and early morning hours at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai.
The surveillance covered multiple critical areas such as flight operations, airworthiness, ramp safety, air traffic control (ATC), communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) systems, and pre-flight medical evaluations.
It closely monitored the ground activities and aircraft movements throughout the surveillance to check the compliance of regulatory requirements and to identify weak areas for improvement.
Repeat Aircraft Defects Point to Ineffective Monitoring by Operators
However, the teams reported multiple cases wherein the reported defects re-appeared many times on the aircraft. According to the authority, it indicates the ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action on the defects.
Ground handling equipment’s such as baggage trollies and BFL among others were found unserviceable while it observed that line maintenance stores and tool control procedures were not followed.
Severe Lapses in Aircraft Maintenance and Safety Protocols
Without naming the operator, the teams highlighted severe discrepancies in aircraft maintenance. They observed that the work order was not followed, the unserviceable thrust reverser system and flap slat lever were not locked, safety precautions were found not taken by aircraft maintenance engineer as per manual, the engineer was not attending to the snag rectification.
It also found errors in logbook maintenance citing that the defect reports generated by the aircraft system were not found recorded, several life vests were not properly secured beneath their designated seats and the corrosion-resistant tape on the right-hand side winglet's lower blade was found to be damaged.
Airport Infrastructure Also Under Scanner: Faded Runway Markings, Unsafe Taxi Lights
At one of the airports, the centre line marking of a runway was observed faded while the rapid exit taxiway, green centre lights were not unidirectional. DGCA teams also noted that the obstruction limitation data was not updated for last three years and no survey was performed despite many new constructions around the vicinity of aerodrome.
A number of vehicles in the ramp area were found without speed governors. These vehicles were withdrawn by cancelling their airside vehicle permit and drivers’ airside driving permits were suspended.
Simulator Mismatch and Flight Cancellation Over Worn Aircraft Tyres
A simulator was checked and found not matching with the aircraft configuration. the software was not also updated to the current version. A domestic flight of a scheduled carrier was cancelled after the teams found worn tyres and released it only after the required rectification was carried out.
DGCA Gives Operators 7 Days to Respond; More Checks to Follow
All the findings observed during the surveillance were communicated to the concerned operators for taking necessary corrective actions within seven days. While this was the first such comprehensive surveillance, the process will continue in the coming days to detect hazards in the system in line.
