DGCA Issues Strict Safety Mandates for Indian Charter Operators

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has announced a comprehensive set of new safety mandates for holders of a Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP), signaling a significant shift towards a zero-tolerance policy on safety compromises. The new aviation safety regulations are designed to reinforce that the Pilot-in-Command's authority is final and that safety must supersede all commercial pressures, including charter commitments or VIP movements. This move addresses what the regulator identified as systemic weaknesses in operational decision-making within the sector.

The regulatory overhaul fundamentally strengthens the hand of flight crews and shifts the burden of accountability towards airline management. The DGCA explicitly stated its intent to prioritize safety above all other criteria, mandating that an operator's leadership must respect and uphold a pilot's decision to divert, delay, or cancel a flight for safety reasons without question. This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve civil aviation safety and operational discipline among India's charter flight operators.

New Mandates for Transparency and Oversight

To enhance transparency for customers, the DGCA has introduced a Mandatory Public Disclosures policy. Under this rule, all non-scheduled operators are required to publish critical safety information on their websites. This includes the age of their aircraft, detailed maintenance history, and the experience levels of their pilots, allowing charter clients to make more informed decisions.

Furthering this transparency, the regulator plans to implement a safety ranking mechanism for all NSOPs. The criteria for these rankings will be established and the results will be published on the DGCA website for public access. To enforce compliance, the DGCA will conduct more intensive audits, including increased random Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) audits. The authority will also cross-verify data from Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transmissions, fuel records, and technical logs to detect any unauthorized operations or falsification of data.

Accountability and Stricter Penalties

A cornerstone of the new framework is a focus on management responsibility. The DGCA noted that

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