DGCA issues deadline after spotting lapses in aircraft maintenance procedures at major airports

As part of their inspections certain safety violations and lapses have been identified and action is being taken, the regulator said

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on June 24 said that it has found multiple cases among domestic airlines where 'reported defects' re-appeared several times on aircraft following inspections at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata airports.

"Multiple cases wherein the reported defects re-appeared many times on the aircraft indicating the ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action on the defects/ repeated defects," the DGCA said in a statement on June 24.

The regulator has given airport operators in India seven days to fix the safety issues it has found after inspections at Delhi and Mumbai airports.

"All the findings observed during the surveillance have been communicated to the concerned operators for taking necessary corrective actions within seven days," the DGCA said.

Since June 19, DGCA officials have carried out inspections at the country's top airports, auditing airlines, ground handling companies, air traffic control units and maintenance, repair overhaul units.

As part of their inspections certain safety violations and lapses have been identified and action is being taken, including line maintenance stores, tool control procedures were not followed, the regulator said in a statement.

The regulator also found that during maintenance of aircraft, the work order was not followed and in some instances the during maintenance safety precautions were by aircraft maintenance engineers (AME) per the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM). In one instance, an airline was asked to cancel a domestic flight over a safety issue.

"A domestic flight of a scheduled carrier was held up due to worn tyres and it was released only after the required rectification was carried out," the DGCA said.

The regulator also said that it found instances where defect reports generated by the aircraft system, were not found recorded in the technical logbook of airlines. It added that it also found instances in some flights where several life vests were not properly secured beneath their designated seats.

The DGCA also found an instance where corrosion-resistant tape on the right-hand side winglet's lower blade was found to be damaged. In another case, the DGCA discovered that the centre line marking of runway at an airport was 'faded' and the rapid exit taxiway, green centre light were not unidirectional.

The regulator raised concerns that the obstruction limitation data of an airport was not updated for last three years and no survey was carried out despite new construction around the vicinity of aerodrome.

The DGCA also found many vehicles in the ramp area of the airport without speed governor and withdrew the use of such vehicles. The regulator also checked a simulator and found that it was not matching with the aircraft configuration and its software was not updated to the current version.

In addition to the core operators, the audit also assessed technology providers, emergency response systems, supply chain networks, and even regulatory oversight bodies to ensure end-to-end safety and compliance.

Following the Air India plane crash earlier this month, DGCA initiated a focused assessment of the aviation ecosystem to strengthen safety measures across the sector. Two teams led by the Joint Director General carried out comprehensive surveillance during night and early morning hours at major airports including in Delhi and Mumbai.

Following the audit, all reviewed entities are required to submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to the DGCA within 15 days.

"Non-compliance with the audit findings or failure to implement the CAP will lead to consequences, including financial penalties or even licence revocation,"  the DGCA said.

The DGCA’s intensified focus on comprehensive safety evaluation comes amid a push for higher standards in India's rapidly expanding aviation sector. The special audits were planned in the backdrop of the June 12 Ahmedabad air crash. Over 250 people, including passengers, crew and occupants of a hospital mess, lost their lives in the accident.

Further special audits may be initiated based on mandatory triggers such as critical safety events, persistent regulatory non-compliance, safety audit findings or operational disruptions.