By Staff Correspondent
Along with checking on the work done on changes in procedures flagged during the last audit conducted in October 2021, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is set to audit the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) once again.
They gave some findings on procedures in the previous audit while according to a government official, those findings have been worked upon, and the FAA would be coming for an audit once again.
During their October audit, the safety guidelines were audited by a five-member team of FAA, including the licensing of personnel and airworthiness. However, the findings were mainly on the procedures being followed by the aviation regulator in the country.
They will retain the category I status for India’s aviation sector if the FAA is satisfied with the changes in the DGCA. Dissatisfaction might result in a downgrade of the industry, leading to further scrutiny of airlines from India flying to the US.
The FAA raised concerns over regulatory and guidance material by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in 2018, but the United Nations body had given the highest safety ranking for aviation watchdog in India after it was rectified.
Back in January 2014, the US agency had downgraded India to Category II in safety oversight capability over two key concerns: the absence of full-time flight operations inspectors on the DGCA’s rolls and lack of training of officials.
An audit of India’s air safety readiness is expected to be conducted in 2022 by the UN aviation body International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and shall focus on flight operations, aircraft airworthiness, air navigation services, aerodromes, certification, airlines, among others.
