DGCA Norms for Flying VIPs After Pawar Crash

New Delhi:From carrying out risk assessment before each flight to having experienced pilots and crew, the Director General of Civil Aviation has issued a special set of guidelines to the aviation industry while flying central, state and other dignitaries by aircraft. The guidelines issued on Friday also clearly mention that the crew should not be subjected to any undue pressure for undertaking a flight which may impact safety and that no last minute changes to the planned flight due to VIP requirements should be done with the crew directly.

The guidelines come in the wake of the recent crash of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Mr Ajit Pawar who died in an air crash on January 28 this year.

The orders issued by the DGCA Mr Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said an analysis of earlier accidents and incidents associated with aircraft operations during election flying of VIPs has often revealed violation of instructions and safety was jeopardised. "It is essential that adequate measures are taken by all concerned to ensure the highest standards of safety for the operation of such flights," the DGCA said adding the Pilot In Command (PIC) of a non-scheduled aircraft flying dignitaries should have a total experience of at least 3,000 flying hours, and in the case of helicopters, it has to be 2,000 flying hours experience.

As per orders the aircraft operator should ensure that the flight operations are in accordance with the Aircraft Rules and instructions issued from time to time and flight crew are not subjected to undue pressure for undertaking a flight which may impact safety of operations. "Any last-minute changes to the planned flight due to VIP requirements should be coordinated through the organisation's management only, and not directly with the crew," the order said.

The dignitaries covered under this order are Lok Sabha Speaker, Deputy Chairperson Rajya Sabha, Central Ministers of Cabinet Rank, Chief Justice of India, Governors and Chief Ministers of States, State Ministers of Cabinet rank and Z plus category SPG protectees.

It further said that election flying is a highly demanding exercise in terms of skill levels, professionalism and tact. It mentioned that long flying hours, large number of take-offs and landings, weather changes, lack of proper rest and recuperation arrangements, hurriedly prepared helipads, frequent changes in itinerary, time management, highly stressed security arrangement, crowd control, congested airspace, lack of adequate communication and airspace management, commercial interest and language barrier as some of the challenges of election flying. Accordingly, each operator shall nominate a responsible person for managing election flying who will be accountable for ensuring compliance of all instructions issued by DGCA, AAI, BCAS and Election Commission and his particulars be submitted to the Flight Standards Directorate, DGCA before commencement of election flying.

According to the order, the operator's accountable manager should inform the person being flown to respect the decisions taken by the flight crew, aircraft maintenance engineers and other professionals involved in flight planning and dispatch. The decisions taken by them regarding continuation, diversion or aborting of the flight should be respected, and the crew must remain free from any external pressure of undue influence, as per the order.

Among other requirements, the flight crew should ensure strict compliance with weather minima and proper weather briefing before commencement of flights as per existing regulations.

Twin-engine aircraft with minimum two crew and good operational capability, reliability and with easy maintainability characteristics should be used. The operator/flight crew shall ensure that baggage is properly screened before loading into the aircraft. Before operating at remote or uncontrolled airports/helipads, the operator shall obtain landing permission from the District Authorities and local administration should facilitate the timely provision of information related to it.